Smile A Little, Will Ya?
by ChiiRyeeBiee
Summary: All he wanted was to see a certain blue-eyed blonde smile. And so as of then, Sora Leonhart, sports athlete, official class clown and the school's very own ball of sunshine, vowed to himself with all the power vested in him to make Roxas Strife the happiest person he has ever been. RoxasxSora pairing, school AU, shounen ai
1. Enter the New Kid, Roxas!

**Hayoo~ ChiiRyeeBiee here with yet another fanfic :3 hehehe~ I came up with this one after waking up one morning, and so I drafted it out and tadaa! My first Kingdom Hearts RokuSora story! ****Yay~**

**I hope it's alright, harharhar.**

**Anyhow, this is a Roxas x Sora pairing, so yes, they are both boys, and yes this is shounen ai. I don't own Kingdom Hearts, and I do hope you, my dear reader, enjoy this story! Kindly leave a review for me to turn into writing EXP points!**

***\\(^o^)/***

**(...because ChiiRyeeBiee here treats everything like a game) Σ(￣。￣ﾉ)ﾉ Gotta keep levelling up, yo!**

**Alright then! Anata no hanashi, doozoo~!**

* * *

**Smile A Little, Will Ya?**

**Summary: **All he wanted was to see a certain blue-eyed blonde smile. And so as of then, Sora Leonhart, sports athlete, official class clown and the school's very own ball of sunshine, vowed to himself with all the power vested in him to make Roxas Strife the happiest person he has ever been.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Smile A Little, Will Ya?

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

~Chapter One: Enter the New Kid, Roxas!~

Roxas Strife never smiled.

Sora Leonhart had never seen anyone look so serious before.

When the brunette first met the blonde, he wore a foreign black suited uniform, complete with a checkered tie and a professional-looking suitcase. The boy's hair, although spiky like Sora's, was styled and tamed with hair gel, not a stray blonde strand out of place. Cerulean eyes were constantly glossed over with utter boredom, his mouth forming a very thin but depressing frown. Roxas, to Sora anyway, was the perfect picture of a stoic, mature student who did nothing but study and stayed all by himself in the library out of introversion and lack of social skills.

He was right.

Sora's overall outlook of the world was optimistic and very cheerful. Even though there were times when he just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry, he hardly ever did. The sixteen year old was always smiling, because he believed the best way to tackle one's problems was with a positive attitude. He had his bad days like everyone else, but within no time he'd get back up to face his troubles with working solutions.

The brunette was a glowing ball of sunshine to others — he never failed to brighten everyone's day with his positive aura and spirit, and whenever he saw anyone cry or feel sad he'd take his time to cheer them up no matter what. He would constantly lend a hand to his fellow schoolmates and staff alike, earning himself the ridiculous nickname of_ "The School's Angel"_ for his neverending feat to give up his own time to help others.

"Hello Sora!" Young ninth graders all over school would greet the happy eleventh grader.

"Thanks a lot for your advice, Sora! I feel much better than I did last year and I can enjoy laughing with my friends now!" They would say.

"I think there'd be lots of people who would want to meet you, Sora! You're always smiling!"

"God bless you Sora. You are an angel."

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

As expected, Roxas had remained silent in the classes he shared with Sora and always took notes regardless of the teacher's consent. He was always on time in school and from his punctual observance of the boy, Sora managed to figure out that the new exchange student preferred to settle in secluded study areas for the sake of being alone. He never laughed if the teacher made a crude comment in class; he never smiled if someone managed to make a big mistake. He was always _frowning, frowning, frowning,_ and even when the lunchtime came around, the guy never appeared to be pleased with the idea at all. Everyone Sora knew would be overjoyed at the coming of lunchtime! What normal high school student wouldn't be? Roxas' pessimistic behaviour did not sit well on Sora's conscience, however peculiar and odd it may have seemed. And because he was Sora Leonhart, the school's angel and a happy-go-lucky boy whose actions spoke louder than words, the sixteen year old was inclined to make the angsty blonde smile.

"THAT'S IT!" The blue-eyed brunette cried exasperatedly, standing up from his chair and slamming a hand on the cafeteria table.

"What's it, Sora? Did Vanitas draw weird doodles on your Art canvas last period again?" A feminine voice replied, her straight red hair following as she tilted her head to the side.

"No." He admitted with a pout, sitting back down slowly to avoid drawing any more attention to himself. "It's just been a little frustrating for me, Kairi... You see, I've been watching Roxas lately—"

"Roxas? You mean the new exchange student from Twilight High?" The silver-haired boy to Sora's right interjected listlessly, swinging a fork around dangerously.

"—err, yeah... hey, get that fork away from me Riku! You're about to stab my eye!"

The silverette known as Riku ignored the fuming boy. "And why, pray tell, have you been watching him, Sora?" He smirked ten-fold at Sora's scrutinizing glare, revelling in his success of annoying the brown-haired boy for the day.

"Well duh, why else would I watch him? The guy's a walking mood killer! The teacher tells a joke, he frowns. Someone makes a funny mistake, he frowns. Lunchtime comes around, he frowns. I can't stand it! _The horror! _The unmistakable negativity is killing me! Have you even felt his negative aura? How could someone be like that when there are so many things to smile about! This pessimism is utterly unacceptable and I refuse to let it continue." The blue-eyed teen finished, making crazy hand gestures to emphasize the grim crisis at hand.

"Tch. Sora, you selfless fool. You're always so concerned with other's people's business. Just leave the guy alone and maybe it won't bother you so much. You don't know what he's been through."

"Well I'm sorry that I'm not lazy and careless like you, Riku-bastard. The negativity shall end and it would start with me! How can someone enjoy such torture? I can't and won't allow it."

"Pfft. Says the guy who hardly does any homework. Worry about yourself first, you freaking weirdo."

"Hey! At least I don't make terrible excuses like you do!"

The red-haired girl named Kairi rolled her eyes as she listened to her two male friends argue amongst themselves. "Sora, if it really is a concern to you, then you should go hang out with the exchange student and do what you can to make him smile. Naminé here thinks so too. It's not like we can stop you from doing so anyway, since you're always doing nice things for other people."

Naminé, Kairi's twin sister who was currently sitting next to the red-haired girl, nodded agreeingly at Sora for confirmation.

The brunette gave his female friends one of his trademark smiles and hugs for being supportive of his side. Riku however, received none other than a shameful raspberry and a look that said, _"can't stop me, bastard"._ Riku's basic reply was a huff of disinterest, shooing Sora away with a hand.

"I'm just saying, he's a stranger; he wouldn't care about your efforts so you shouldn't bother with him anyway." Riku scoffed. "But whatever bro, do what you can. You really live up to your name as _"The School's Angel"_. It's a disgraceful and weird one, I tell you now."

With that, Sora smiled and threw a peace sign at the guy. "Thanks, Riku. Kairi. Naminé. You guys are awesome!"

And so as of then, Sora Leonhart, sports athlete, official class clown and the school's very own ball of sunshine, vowed to himself with all the power vested in him to make Roxas Strife the happiest person he has ever been.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

How to Make Roxas Smile by Sora Leonhart: A Tick-List of how to make the new kid happy!

_1) Start off by becoming his friend. New friends always make me happy!_

_2) Compliment him and ask if you could assist him._

_3) Sea-salt ice cream! The treat for all things positive!_

_4) Tell him funny jokes! There's always one that keeps you laughing for a while!_

**Commencing Phase One: The Friend Initiation Plan!**

The next day, Sora was onto his new goal of making Roxas' day a cheerful one. He spent all his time the night before making a checklist of what to do, jotting down a few ideas for the meantime. His list was written in his handy reminder notebook which he carried with him everywhere, enabling him to add to it some more in the future (lest he failed to make Roxas happy with his current plans, which Kairi and Naminé highly doubted since this was the _class clown_ they were talking about!)

Sora skipped merrily towards his desk upon entering the classroom, begladdening the others around at the sight of him in high spirits. He was whistling a television show theme song when the person he specifically wanted to see walked in, readying all his belongings for first period and sitting down to read a book. The brunette smiled to himself, inwardly contemplating on how to approach the introverted blonde and start a fruitful and fun-filled friendship.

"Err, Your name's Roxas, right?" Sora began, giving the aforementioned classmate of his his best grin.

The older boy looked up from his rather interesting novel with an apathetic expression. "Yes. What about it?"

The blue-eyed brunette took a deep breath before making the most elated outburst-for-an-introduction he could muster up.

"HI! I'm Sora Leonhart, but call me Sora for short! I was wondering if you wanted a little company, that's all. How are you liking Destiny College?"

Roxas' expression failed to change, and he looked a little annoyed for being disturbed from his alone time. But Sora had to make some attempt to talk to the guy — he'd never make him smile that way!

"Fine I guess."

"Aahh, I see. What's your favourite subject so far? Any new friends? Have you tried the cafeteria food? Unlike most colleges, our lunchlady Aerith actually makes the best served lunches in history!"

"Is that so."

"Yup! I'll treat you sometime!"

"...hn."

The blue-eyed blonde merely shrugged before turning back to his novel.

Feeling like he accomplished something, Sora looked around the classroom to see that Kairi, Naminé and Riku were already sitting at their desks, chatting amongst each other. The red-haired twin had looked up for a while and given him a thumbs up, reassuring him that he was doing great so far.

"Say uhh, Roxas?"

"...what do you want?" Cerulean eyes were trained on the pages of the novel, but the sixteen year old took this as a prompt to continue.

"Do you... err, wanna be friends? I can show you around the school and hang out with you if you need someone to talk to. I'm really nice and most of the students here are friendly too!" He beamed with utmost sincerity. Azure orbs sparkled with excitement, and Sora only hoped that Roxas would agree.

Roxas shrugged once again, his eyebrows twitching with annoyance. "Will you shut up if I agree? If you weren't aware, I am currently trying to read. Alone."

"Oh. Uhh. Yeah, sure. I'll go away if you say yes." Gee. This guy's negativity wasn't simply on the surface. Sora had his work cut out for him, at least.

"Hmph. Fine then. I'll be your friend." The new student muttered, disinterested.

Minutes later a particular blonde found himself engulfed within small but stable arms. "YEEEEEYYYY! I have a new friend! We're gonna have sooooo much fuuuun!"

It seemed that making new friends made Sora smile more than Roxas, who was still trying to figure out what in the world happened to Francis when his book went flying across the room.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

**Commencing Phase Two: Operation Complimenting Shower!**

Roxas had just finished returning a dozen of books to the school library when he was surprised by a brown-haired ball of doom who jumped at him as he exited the place. He immediately went into self-defense mode, taking the unwelcomed attacker by the arm and tossing him on the ground harshly.

"Owwwieee! THAT HURT! WHY WOULD YOU THROW ME LIKE THAT, ROXAS?" The attacker who was actually the happy-go-lucky kid named Sora complained unhappily, rubbing his sore head with a delicate hand.

"...Sorry. I thought you were a bully." Roxas replied impassively, closed lips which marked a frown evident on his face. He held a hand out to the boy on the ground, who took it and began smiling away like nothing happened.

"S'okay. Good throw though! You must be good at martial arts huh? That's so cool!"

"...hn."

"_Hnn?_"

"It's not that amazing. I learned it for self-defense, as you just witnessed." The blonde said gloomily, looking up at the sky to avoid meeting Sora's eyes. It was currently their lunch break so they had plenty of time to hang out, which Sora used as an advantage to carry on with his plan to make the new kid smile.

"Gaww! You're so awesome. And talented. And amazing and great and marvellous. I bet whoever's gonna date you in the future would be so lucky..."

"...excuse me?"

"Oh come on... you're an amazing guy! What kind of insane person wouldn't want to be with you? You already know the drill, Roxas. In the future, you're gonna like a girl, and she'll like you back, and you'll be very happy and she will be as well because she has such an amazing boyfriend who isn't only talented and handsome but who she knows could protect her! That kind of thing?"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "...Girls are not worth my time."

"Oh? But this is in the future though. You never know what will happen..." The younger boy singsonged lightheartedly, skipping ahead towards the grassy field beside the English blocks.

"...hn."

The two boys walked around the school as Sora droned on about how amazing Roxas was while the other remained silent, barely listening.

"I mean honestly, have you seen the way your hair looks compared to mine? Mine looks like a feather duster and yours... hah! It looks so perfect!"

"...ever heard of hair gel?"

"And your eyes! They're the lightest shade of blue ever, like the clear sky in a sunny weather. Free and calm... happy and bright... you just wanna stare at them everyday and get lost in thoughts of them..."

"...your eyes are blue too, you do know that."

"And you're so intelligent! I mean, I know you don't answer questions in class since you're so quiet and all, but you read so many books; I bet one day you'd be a famous multi-millionaire novelist!"

"...it's called a hobby."

"Haaaah..." The ignorant yet talkative boy sighed to himself, daydreaming about the many other good things that could come about to Roxas, including the blonde's election in presidency and of course, seeing the biggest, most sincere and heartwarming smile gracing Roxas' features.

"...I'd bet you'd look even more beautiful if you just smiled."

Roxas turned to the free-spirited boy with confusion blended in his eyes. He wasn't very appreciative of the flattery — he knew nobody ever said good things about him unless they wanted something, of course. Roxas didn't even know if Sora was being serious or not, but with the way the brunette's azure eyes have been sparkling, he couldn't say the boy was bluffing.

Hmm, so the Leonhart teen wanted to see him smile, huh? Well, tough luck there, Sora. If the guy didn't know already, Roxas Strife never smiled. It wasn't exactly a good, daily-basis kind of thing to him. The word "smile" did not even exist in the older boy's vocabulary. And sure, he knew what it meant, but he didn't understand why so many people had this fake, fake, fake expression of happiness on their faces. Just because one wasn't smiling, it didn't mean they were a sad, sad cause in the world who did nothing but curl up in a corner and cry, feeling sorry for themselves and their pathetic lives. Hmph. What a futile dream. It was more possible to see a flying pig than to see Roxas Strife smile.

"...I don't smile, Sora." The blonde said bluntly, already secretly annoyed with the loud-mouthed class favourite.

"WHAAAAT? But why?"

Roxas snorted irritatedly. "Because I just don't."

"But—"

"Look, I just don't, okay? Goodbye now, Sora."

And before the Destiny College student could finish what he was saying, Roxas stomped off the other direction, tired of being around the brunette and his blabbering self. Soon afterwards, the bell which marked the end of lunchtime rang, so Sora had no choice but to end it for the day and try again tomorrow. After all, he was making some progress, at the very least. Rushing things would just make the Twilight newcomer walk away like he did. He just wished Roxas wasn't going to be stubborn about it.

"Haaah. This is harder than I thought."

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

**Commencing Phase Three: The Ice Cream Bribery!**

"Here. I'm sorry about yesterday. Whatever I did, I hope that doesn't stop us being friends."

A cold popsicle wrapped up in a frozen white packet was handed out to the blue-eyed blonde, who was sitting at the banks of the field listening in to people making aggressive shout-outs in a serious rugby game and reading yet another new novel. Roxas took the offering and stared at it, muttering a quiet "thank you" to his newfound brown-haired companion.

"What's this?" He asked as he unwrapped it, never before seeing a popsicle so... deep blue. He left his novel sitting on his lap as he eyed the ice cream bar, looking for any traces of chocolate chunks or whatever people put in ice cream nowadays.

"It's sea-salt ice cream, of course!" Sora cried enthusiastically, plopping himself next to Roxas. "Here at Destiny College, everyone goes nuts wanting to get their hands on it. It's usually limited-stock in the cafeteria but I got lucky and bought us some! Told you I'd treat you sometime, right? That time is now! Eat up!"

The Twilight High student complied and took a bite of the blue treat, which indeed tasted very good. Sweet, vanilla-flavoured, with a subtle, if not prominent, salty tang. Roxas should have some more of these — something with vanilla in it was a typical must-have for the Strife teen.

A pair of inquisitive azure eyes were focused on his face after Roxas finished eating the ice cream bar. Sora was very close to him, and as an anti-social introvert he began to feel uncomfortable with the personal bubble breach.

"Soooo, how was it? Was it good? Does it make you want to jump up and yell uncle? Does it? DOES IT?"

Uggh. So annoying. He contemplated on what would happen if he lied and said no, but Roxas wasn't too cruel a person as to offend a classmate of his who bothered enough to befriend him. Still, he would've preferred to survive the whole year without such an irritating excuse of a companion. This Sora person was annoying, but kind-hearted nonetheless. It was uncanny, how the hyperactive azure-eyed boy reminded Roxas of someone... very dear to him. It was immediately difficult to dislike the guy even if he tried.

"It's good."

"Whaaa~? Just good?"

"What, you asked me if it was good and I say yes." The quiet boy replied without a trace of emotion on his face.

"Not _delicious or to-die for_? Just _okay?_"

"I should have more of these. That a better reply?" He admitted honestly, pocketing the wrapper and popsicle stick for a later disposal before picking up his book to read where he left off.

The boys were left in silence for a while, and Roxas only noticed something was wrong after reading a page without interruption. He looked to his left to see Sora thinking about something, complete with a hand under his chin and the scrunched-up face for emphasis.

"I dunno what I did wrong... I was pretty sure sea-salt ice cream would do the trick... Maybe one wasn't enough..." The brunette muttered to himself, sighing. A tap on his shoulder brought him back to reality when he realized Roxas was trying to ask if he was okay.

"...huh? Oh, yeah. Yeah. I'm fine. You said you wanted more sea-salt ice cream, right?" Sora gave the boy what he knew was his best smile ever. For some reason, Roxas did not like this at all because he was frowning more pronouncedly, as if it was possible to do so since the blonde frowned everyday. Instead of making a comment, however, he closed his novel and stood up, ready to go somewhere. Sora was afraid he had failed again, hanging his head down in disappointment under the impression that the older boy was going to walk away once more.

Surprisingly, he saw a hand extended out to him, which Roxas waited patiently for him to take. "Come on. Let's go. We'll get more ice cream to wipe that fake smile off your face and replace it with a real one." He said, presenting his hand once more to Sora. How the blonde knew he was faking it, he did not know. His smiles were never see-through; he was the class clown for goodness sake! The brunette began to grin as he accepted the hand and stood up, wondering how their roles reversed in a time span of one minute. He was supposed to make Roxas smile, not the other way around...

_'My plan needs some desperate measures,' _he concluded inwardly as the two eleventh-graders made their way towards the very crowded cafeteria at the other side of the school.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

**Commencing Phase Four: I'm The Joker and I'll Put a Smile on Your Face!**

Okay, okaaay! Here's another one; I've been taught this when I was small and I just couldn't ever ever forget it! _There was a little four year old who wanted to go to school, and so he asked his mom if he could, and she said if he could give her four different and interesting sentences on a piece of paper, then she would send him to school. He took a pen and a pad of paper then went outside to walk around the streets, when he saw one of his friends exit his house in a Batman costume. The boy's dressed-up neighbour was so ecstatic about being a superhero that he kept on shouting, "I am Batman! I am Batman!" The little four year old wrote this call down as the first interesting sentence to give to his mom._"

"Oooh! Oooh! What happened next?" A random girl from Sora's class asked while she and all her friends listened to the class clown tell another one of his daily, I'm-here-to-make-you-smile kind of jokes. It was nine in the morning and Sora and his classmates were waiting for their homeroom teacher to arrive, who was already ten minutes late as of the moment. Instead of sitting around there doing nothing while they waited, the happy-go-lucky brunette decided to draw everyone's attention to listen to his anecdote-of-a-joke, Roxas Strife included.

"Well, what happened next was _the little four year old went walking along the streets of his neighbourhood like he planned to, when he stumbled across the nearest convenience store and went inside. A woman at the counter was waiting for her items to be scanned when she asked the cashier how much one of the items are. "2.50, absolutely!" The cashier replied, and this was the second sentence the little four year old jotted down on his pad. It was getting sort of dark so he had to get home soon, and when he arrived at his house he found he really, really needed to go to the toilet_." Sora voiced out narratively, looking through the crowd gathered around him to see if a certain blue-eyed blonde was listening in. Much to his intentions, Roxas was at his seat, a book in his hands which he closed to pay attention to his story. Hehehe, of course. Roxas loved stories. Sora better tell this one extra carefully then.

"Oooh, and then? And then what happened?" Another girl cried, starting the chain of giggling girls who pleaded to him to continue.

"Okay, okay... _So the four year old rushed towards their bathroom frantically, but the door was locked and he realized someone was inside. "Open up please! I need to go!" He demanded desperately, knocking on the door for all it was worth. The only reply he got though was from his sister who was shouting, "I'm in the toilet!" But as the boy was in utter pain, he only heard her saying, "...in the toilet! In the toilet!"_"

The sound of laughter rang around the classroom, and Sora was pleased to see all his classmates look so happy and smiling back at him. When he looked at Roxas on the other hand, the blonde still looked as serious and unhappy as ever, which disheartened him a little but he promised he'd keep on trying to make him smile. _'I won't put a smile on his face if I give up! No way!'_

"Anyway, what happened next was that _the four year old was able to go to the toilet after waiting for his sister to come out. After washing his hands though, he decided that he'd write down what he heard as the third sentence to give to his mom. This of course left him with only one more sentence to find, and so he began his search for the last sentence which would soon be the key to send him to school. He was looking for his dad to ask him for help when the four year old found him in the living room, sprawled up and over the couch with a bag of popcorn in hand. His dad was watching an action movie about robotic cars, and on television was the fight scene between the good and the bad robot. The good robot won of course, and the bad robot flew away somewhere, saying, "I SHALL RETURN!" before he went off-scene. The little four year old was happy about that sentence so he wrote it down as well before going off to his mother and showing her his amazing accomplishment._"

This time around, his classmates drew closer to him as his dramatic pause indicated he was about to deliver the punchline. Roxas was still listening, thankfully, and their homeroom teacher was still nowhere to be seen.

"_The next day, his mother kept her promise and told him she'd send him to school early in the morning. The little four year old was so happy, he lost track of time and ended up staying awake past midnight. He woke up late the next morning and rushed as fast as he could to prepare himself for school. His mother dropped him off at the school gates and said goodbye, and the little four year old soon found himself standing in front of a really tall and scary-looking guard. "What's your name, son?" The guard questioned, hands in his pockets as he waited for a reply. The four year old panicked as he didn't know what to say, so he said the first sentence that came to his mind instead. "I am Batman!" He said proudly, hoping his answer was right. Maybe this was a test to get in school? Thank his mother for telling him to find those sentences; he'd never know what to do otherwise!_

_The guard rose one of his eyebrows before he smiled at the little kid, thinking to himself that the kid must have had really big dreams. "I see... but seriously? What is your name, son?"_

_"I am Batman! I am Batman!"_

_Apparently the little boy was persistent about his name being Batman. "Fine then," the guard said, opting for a different question. "And how old are you?"_

_"2.50, absolutely!" The four year old answered, smiling to himself as he believed he was doing well._

_"Heh, 2.50 huh? Never heard of it. Are you sure?"_

_"2.50, absolutely!"_

_The guard was not sure this kid was even a student and was probably just joking around with him. "And where do you live?" He asked, waiting for the boy to answer seriously._

_"...in the toilet!"_

_"You... live in the toilet. Really?"_

_"...in the toilet!"_

_The guard was not amused any longer and so he told the four year old to go back home and stop playing games with him as politely as possible. The four year old, concerned this was once again another test, collected himself into the best retreating stance he could do, and with the strongest voice he could use, shouted, "I SHALL RETURN!" before ninja-running back to his house._"

His whole classroom erupted with chuckling and uncontrollable laughter. The boys were clapping like retarded seals and slapping each other on their backs while the girls modestly had a hand over their mouths to soften their giggles. Riku was shaking in amusement, repeating the _"I am Batman" _phrase all over again while Kairi and Naminé tried hard not to burst out laughing and embarrass themselves.

_'Another well-told story,'_ Sora praised himself, proud and glad he was the cause all of his classmates' merriment. Unfortunately, the one person he wanted laugh the most was somehow still frowning like a stubborn stain never wanting to go away.

Sora walked up to his desk and beamed at the blonde tenaciously. "Hey Roxas, knock knock!"

The Twilight High student looked at him pointedly, drilling his confusion into shining azure orbs.

"This is when you reply_ 'who's there', _and when I say something, you say whatever I said with a _'who'_ in the end, then I deliver the punchline!" Sora instructed, still freaking smiling like his life depended on it. Seriously, the guy was an ocean of happiness!

On the other hand, Sora was thinking about how on earth Roxas has never heard of a knock-knock joke before. Was Twilight Town a place for sad people? If it was, he oughta go there and knock some happiness into everyone! The world was a good place! Everyone should be smiling and thankful they're alive!

After sometime Roxas finally spoke up, hating the fact that everyone in class was now staring at himself and the ever-so-irritating Sora. "Who's there..." He droned on with the most boring, lackadaisical tone ever.

"Sora!" The aforementioned brunette cried, throwing a peace sign at the air with glee. Roxas swore he was so much like... him. It wasn't until he found his eyes starting to water that he became aware of his depleting self-control. The older boy clenched his fists to refrain himself from crying, opting instead to play along with Sora's game.

"Sora who?"

With this, Sora grinned at him even more; positive aura covering all four corners of the classroom. The Leonhart boy first waited for extreme silence before delivering the punchline of his joke.

"Why aren't you smiling? My heart feels _Sora't_ seeing how sad you look right now..." He claimed dramatically, a hand over his chest and kneeling like a prince begging for a girl's hand in marriage. The rest of the class started snickering and laughing at the corny joke, as well as the comical scene between their favourite classmate and the new transfer student.

"Hah! Kiss him now, Sora!" Someone said, which started the chant of _"kiss him, kiss him, kiss him!"_ and_ "Sora likes the new kid"_ echoing around the classroom. The azure-eyed boy immediately blushed ten-fold, flustered with the misunderstanding of his classmates and the implication that he had a crush on Roxas.

"No you got it all wrong, guys! I was just trying to make Roxas smile!"

The cerulean-eyed boy was unfazed by the commotion, but he angrily left the classroom before Sora could even stop him. His leaving made the class roar up with "aww"s and "go after him"s, all courtesy of Riku-bastard, Sora's highly aggravating supposedly-best friend._ 'I'll kill him later,' _Sora decided, before he too exited the classroom in search of Roxas, bumping into their extremely-tardy-it's-not-even-funny homeroom teacher along the way.


	2. A Friendship Worth Blooming

**Annyeong~ ChiiRyeeBiee here. Chapter Two of my first RokuSora story is finally at your service *tears up***

**I was internally conflicted by whether or not I should add a loadful of angst, and since I want this to be a happy story I decided against it. Just a tad will do for my complicated plot development. How do people come up with so many wickedly awesome ideas?!**

**Expect OOCness, fluff, cliché and awful humour because I am a horrible person xD**

**I warn you for shounen ai and the fact that I will never own this amazing game no matter how many times I dream I could. Nyaha~**

**Well, don't wanna stall ya'll too much. Thanks so much for those who reviewed the first chapter though! *hands out virtual brofists of awesomeness***

**Please do tell me how this one's doing! I need help with my vocabulary and advice on my writing style. It's so difficult to craft perfect-but-not-so-perfect pieces. Gaaah! Don't kill me!**

**Okay, shutting up now. :D**

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**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Smile A Little, Will Ya?

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

~Chapter Two - A Frienship Worth Blooming~

"He's so much like _Him_."

On the other side of the school at the beginning of recess, a sunshine-haired teen could be seen kicking away at the many pebbles left lying on the ground near the water fountain. Roxas needed to get a grip. He was losing control slowly but surely, like a pierced balloon letting its air out. This has never happened to him before — it's been so long since he last felt like crying about... about..._Him_. Ever since then, he'd been in control of his feelings — never smiling, never laughing, just frowning. What was it about Sora that could make him feel this way?

_'It's because he's so much like Him.'_

Roxas had supposedly become friends with the Leonhart teen, who was clingy and smiley and way too happy for his own good. He'd been hugged, treated to ice cream and was being included despite the fact that they both didn't know each other very well. Roxas didn't like Sora's overly-attached characteristic, but at the same time, he had no idea why he didn't mind it at all. Maybe it was because he really didn't care about the boy, or he was much too absorbed in his own personal business that it didn't matter what Sora was like.

'_No, it's because he's so much like Him.'_

Sora Leonhart, the class clown and happy-go-lucky teacher's pet of class 11-2. A free-spirited young man with chocolate hair about as messed-up as a mop, with large azure eyes that always sparkled with life. Sora, who loved sports and played soccer every Tuesday lunchtime; who was affectionate towards others and always smiling. A stranger who wasn't really a stranger to Roxas; a crazy ball of sunshine who wanted to make him smile. Sora... who was just like _Him._

A pebble was tossed into the fountain, resulting in a loud splash as the rock permeated the surface of the water. Heh, who knew his temporary transfer to Destiny College would come to meeting a supposed clone of the one he loved most? It was as if some deity out there if there was one, planned this for Roxas, torturing him and making him remember the memories he almost succeeded in forgetting. But for some reason, maybe it was a good thing, if the cerulean-eyed boy only looked at it that way. Maybe Roxas just had to move on. Maybe this Sora could replace the one he loved, give him company and all. Maybe it was a sign for him to start smiling and become happy again, just like _He_ always was. Just like _He_ always could have been.

Maybe was never a kind word to anyone.

The Strife teen walked around the perimeter of the fountain before finally deciding to prepare for his next class. Numerous thoughts swam around Roxas' head as he made his way towards the English department, suitcase in hand. Should he embrace Sora into his life, or completely shut him away like he's done to everyone else the past three years? For now, he didn't know what to do, but one thing was for sure:

There was no way in hell would he ever let _Him_ go.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

It was finally lunchtime and the sun was at its peak, shining down on Destiny College with ease. Students were out and about on the field playing soccer yet again, while some were in the library studying or in the cafeteria having their lunch. Kairi and Naminé were gathered around a never-before-seen moping Sora in the latter place, who was headfirst on their usual hangout table, scarily silent.

"You have to give yourself more time, dear. You know how stoic people usually are — they won't budge a bit." Kairi stated, patting her best friend's unruly chocolate locks.

"Hnn..."

"_Hnnn?_ What's that supposed to mean?"

"Hnn..."

Naminé, on the other hand, had an arm over the hunched figure, hugging him comfortingly for she knew the sixteen year old liked having somebody around for support. "Sora, It's Roxas who just doesn't want to open up. Trust me on this one. He just doesn't see how awesome you are!"

"Heh, I say he should just give up on the guy and live. It's obvious he doesn't like you anyway." Riku concluded, chewing small bites of his greasy homemade burger as he spoke.

The blonde girl, who was supposedly the quietest of them all, lost her temper and punched the insensitive jerk harshly, displeased with his disobliging speculation. This resulted in Riku dropping his lunch on the ground, which he agonized about internally and sent heated death glares at Naminé for.

"What was that for, woman?" He roared, picking up the sloppy pieces of his once-food, an aquamarine eye twitching at the cruelty towards his lunch.

"Well whaddya think? If it weren't for you, you imbecilic bastard, Sora wouldn't be like this! And you say Roxas doesn't like Sora? Hmph! You and your inferiority complex..." She finished, whispering the last sentence to herself. She couldn't understand why Riku was so unsupportive of their friend's commendable plan of action. Was the guy purposely trying to be difficult or was he just that selfish?

"It was just a little teasing, no harm done!"

"Pfft. No harm done, he says. It was just a LITTLE teasing, he says. You pissed the hell out of Roxas enough to make him leave the classroom! And Sora here's been silent the whole day! You're not only a bastard, you're a liar too!" She gasped, offended, resorting to slapping Riku silly.

"Okay, okay! Stop hitting me! Ouch! _Hey!_ I'm sorry already okay?!"

"You better be!"

"Guys, would you stop fighting already?" The azure-eyed boy finally spoke up for the first time ever since the _'incident'_ this morning. For all the times he'd been quiet that day, Sora was drafting plans in his mind, picturing the possible outcomes and ticking off the best ones he could follow through. What did he do wrong? Was his joke really, really bad or perhaps he was a little bit too smiley? Either way, he'd have to avoid making the blonde dislike him even more — the fact that the guy wasn't smiling was terrible crisis already!

"Kairi's right as always..." He began, earning himself a peace sign from the red-haired girl. "If I give up now, I'll get nowhere. It's just I've never been faced with such a challenge before, you know... I always make people smile immediately! Hnnn, I have to keep trying anyway."

Kairi and Naminé were so proud of their best friend they applauded him for his resilient outlook on the situation. "Yeah! That's the spirit, Sora!"

"Way to go, love!"

Sora beamed at the girls. "Do you have any ideas about what I should do though?"

Kairi assumed a thinking face before responding almost immediately. "Well, now that I think about it, the things you've been doing have been kind of, you know, foreign to him. He probably doesn't hear much jokes or get sea-salt ice cream from where he comes from, right Naminé?"

The blonde girl nodded at her sister's assumption. "What Kairi is saying is that you should probably get to know him more; see what he likes. Then you can take him to places or give him presents which you can guarantee will make him happy!"

"Hmm... sounds great! Thanks you guys!" The joyful eleventh grader exclaimed, throwing hugs around his female friends. No way was he gonna be brought down by his recent failures. He'd keep on trying to make Roxas smile, and he will! He just knew he could, and he had to believe in himself for it to happen. Sora was just about to leave and try out the next few ideas written in his mind when the very much ignored Riku stopped him from leaving by tugging on the side of his jumper, head hanging down like a guilty offender.

"Hey, umm, Sora. I'm sorry about today. I know I've been a jerk and all but I just don't want to see you get hurt, is all. Just... just don't get too disappointed when things don't go right, yeah? Don't forget about us too. We're here for you."

The silverette fidgeted nervously in front of his friend, hoping from the bottom of his heart to be forgiven. He wasn't exactly the sweetest of people, but he did care about Sora even though he teased him a lot. They were best friends since childhood, after all. All four of them were inseparable. There must have been... there was something... about Roxas that was drawing Sora close to him. And it could have been the guy's extreme negativity; he didn't know. He didn't know what would happen if Sora decided he liked Roxas more — he was afraid to be left alone with a bunch of crazy girls and no Sora to tease. He somehow... didn't want that.

An infective smile graced the brunette's features, big enough to explode any minute. "You big idiot, you. C'mere, Riku-bastard!" Caught off guard the latter was enveloped in one of Sora's warm and comforting hugs, turning scarlet red at the embarrassing display of affection.

"Gosh,_ I hate you so much,_ but I love you anyway! You jerk! You guys are my besties, don't think for once I'm ever gonna leave you alone! We'll be stuck for life; the four of us! Tough luck for you all!"

"That's good to k-know..."

The younger boy let Riku go to give him some air and shot his male friend the brightest grin he could muster up. "Well, gotta go now guys! Bye-bye!" He grinned, prancing off happily towards the library as he disappeared into the crowds of students.

"Sheesh. Sora is growing up..."

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

How to Make Roxas Smile by Sora Leonhart: A Tick-List of how to make the new kid happy! Part 2

_5) Kairi and Naminé suggested I hang out with him more often just to find out what he likes! A little company never fails to enlighten my day!_

_6) The seasalt ice cream didn't work so much, but maybe food will!_

_7) Roxas likes books! I could go to a bookstore and find him something nice; the latest popular book ever!_

_8) Maybe he likes video games! I'll invite him over to a game center so we can play something!_

**Commencing Phase Five: Let's Get Along Together!**

Friday morning found Sora Leonhart waiting in the school library so he could greet the blonde introvert and spend some time just talking to him. He'd already annoyed the older boy with his persistence to make him smile twice, so he decided there would be no more of that until he got to know him a little better. Praying Roxas wouldn't be too mad at him for his recent humiliations, Sora arrived early at school so he could intercept the blonde at his favourite place to be in instead of getting turned away by approaching him suddenly like he thought Roxas would do.

The brunette was looking through the shelves for a novel he could read while he waited when a hand touched his just as he was about to grab the first book of his favourite series. Surprised azure orbs met inquiring cerulean ones, then a huge smile was exchanged with the other who had a completely impassive face.

.

.

.

"...I didn't take you for one who enjoys reading mystery novels. In fact, I didn't think you even liked books." Roxas said honestly, turning the first page of said mystery novel. The two boys were sitting at the nearest table they could find, both facing each other with Sora skimming over the second book of the series.

"Hehe, I guess it never came to mind that I should have gotten to know you better rather than going head on with making you smile." Sora replied, running a hand through chocolate spikes guiltily. "I'm sorry about embarrassing you, by the way. Had I known my joke would backfire and anger you more, I wouldn't have said it."

"...hn." Roxas mumbled, opting to change the subject instead. "What is it that you like most about this series? I read a suggestion the other day. _"Best thing since her debut The Lies of a Sinner, you will not be able to put this book down!"_, it said. Figured I'd try it out."

The azure-eyed boy thought for a moment. "Well, it fascinates me how authors are able to craft a mysterious story behind a murder and piece it all together little by little throughout the book. This particular one was the best — maybe because of the suspenseful language? I dunno, I don't read too much, but I think mystery novelists are big geniuses, really. _"And so Casey, after much deduction, was able to reveal the murder weapon... the sharp point of a second-hand clock."_ I mean seriously, how does that even work?" Arm gestures were used to highlight the younger boy's inquisition on the matter.

"You spoiler. Now I won't be as surprised as I should be."

"You asked."

"...hn."

**~o~**

A few minutes passed and Roxas was still reading; this time past the prologue and up to the introductory events of Casey's life. When he read, Roxas would be in another world. He'd be completely disconnected from reality, with the scenes of the book playing in his head — adventuring, exploring, flying. Ever since... _that day_, all he'd been doing is reading to get away from all the memories. It was as if... _He_ was never there to begin with. That he'd been alone all this time, that _He_ was never around at all. But then there was Sora, who may as well have been _Him_ in the first place. Oh how he wanted to push him away, but heaven knew why he couldn't. Stupid Sora and his very-much-like-_Him_ kind of personality. It was probably the reason Roxas had been reading more often lately...

"Heeheehee..."

The small giggle caused Roxas to look up and see what the free-spirited brunette was up to. Nothing, apparently. Sora was just staring at him giddily, chin rested on his hand which stood flexibly from the table.

"What are you laughing at?"

The Leonhart teen shrugged, still giggling from where he sat.

"Mmhm. It's just today you've talked to me more than usual. It makes me happy." Sora admitted airily.

"...hn."

"...There you go with the hn's again!" The chocolate-haired boy complained. "Does that mean _"I hate you so much, Sora"_ or _"Please shut up, I'm reading" _because I don't know. Great, even I'm getting into the habit of _hnn'ing_ replies to my friends!" Sora just remembered the way he answered Kairi and Naminé when they were trying to cheer him up. He was muttering, _why oh why did I do that_? to himself when he heard Roxas shutting his book with a soft clap.

"...Neither. Hn just means hn. And no, I don't hate you Sora. I don't even know you well enough to do so."

"Well, what is it that you think of me, then?"

Roxas rose an eyebrow at the question, _hnn'ing_ yet again before formulating an answer in his head. What was he even supposed to say? Sora, you remind me of someone and I don't know how I feel about it? You're somewhat annoying but for some reason, I don't really care? Chances are if you keep hanging around, I may start crying in grief or I may become fond of you given that you continue being yourself? I just can't push you away even though I'd rather be alone, you noisy, unimaginable ball of positive energy?

Tch. Yeah right.

"You are way too positive for a guy like me, that's what," was what Roxas settled for, dismissing the topic and getting up to issue his novel at the front desk. The Leonhart teen followed suit, saying nothing else as he waited for the Twilight High student to finish his answer.

"You also spend too much time with people, and as an introvert I do not and would rather not understand why."

The azure-eyed boy smirked at the remark. "Hnn..."

"Oi, don't you go around copying me. _Hnn'ing_ is my trademark."

"It's your fault for saying it way too much."

"I do not."

"Err, yah you do." Sora stated off-handedly before issuing the book he had as well. Soon enough the two blue-eyed eleventh graders were repeatedly arguing as they exited the library, both assertive about their opinions on Roxas' _hnn'ing_. As it was almost time for homeroom, the two mindlessly made their way towards their beloved classroom located at the Science department.

"Say, Roxas?"

The blonde in question answered with a simple _'hn'_ as Sora knew he would.

"Let's start over, shall we? It's much better when I'm not being pushy and you're not annoyed with me, or something. I just want to be friends with you, you know."

Oh great, a difficult decision, like he needed any more of those. Just hanging out with the brunette made his blood pressure and cortisol levels rise. Was he going to push the free-spirited boy away like he did with everyone else, or would keep him by his side, slowly letting him in and allowing the younger boy to change him for the better? He never did understand friendship. Roxas always had _Him_ before, so it didn't really matter whether he had friends or not. But now, the sunshine-haired boy was all by himself, still clinging to that one memory of the one he loved most.

What to do...

A pale hand snatched a tanned one abruptly, catching Sora off guard at the sudden action. "Don't just stand there, Sora." Roxas said as he dragged Destiny College student along with him. "Hurry up, will ya. We're gonna be late for class."

Guess that means a yes.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

**Commencing Phase Six: All You Can Eat Buffet****!**

"Roxaaaaaas! I bought us some curry rice from the cafeteria! Let's eat togeeether!"

Lately, Roxas and Sora had been hanging out at this one table near the library, with Sora being his usual talkative self and Roxas trying to finish reading the eleven-book series the brunette so greatly loved. Sometimes Sora's friends would come over to see how the azure-eyed boy was doing, Riku usually teasing the two of them about their_ 'love affair' _and the girls secretively giggling about something Roxas didn't even want to know. The blonde would always arrive first at what was now dubbed, _'their table'_ and Sora would follow soon afterwards with two lunch trays. For the rest of the lunch hour, the Strife teen would be typically reading, while the Leonhart teen did homework for the next class or babbled on about how food was the greatest thing ever.

"Gosh, I'm so glad I'm not a plant. We've been learning about autotrophs and heterotrophs in Biology, and man, plants are missing out on all things good! All they have is glucose, glucose, glucose, while we eat things like butter chicken or macaroni and cheese or chocolate chiffon cakes! _Aaaaah,_ life is good!" Sora would say, at which the cerulean-eyed boy would say _'hn'_ to, still absorbed in the world of crime and never-ending mystery while he ate.

"Hey Roxas, what do you think about the food? Doesn't Aerith cook so well? She's so awesome! I wish I could cook like her!"

"The lunches she makes are delicious." the blonde commented, his nose buried in his book with a deadpanned look on his face. _'Still not smiling,'_ Sora concluded inwardly as he watched Roxas flip over to the following page. If he didn't know better, one would think Roxas was lying about the compliment.

The Destiny College student pouted at his ignorant companion, poking him at the side to grab his attention. Why was he always competing for attention with a two-hundred-paged item? Geez, Sora wasn't like that when he read this particular series — even he'd gladly choose food over a mystery novel! Well, at least the Twilight High student was eating, even by just a little.

Hmm, maybe school food was not the thing for Roxas, and he preferred some other type of food that could make him smile. That could be one of the factors affecting the taller boy's appetite, or so Sora believed. The food was delectable, but how it was presented was sort of lacking. Not to mention there was hardly any variety of meals in the cafeteria since it was difficult enough to cook so much for so many people, let alone make at least two different dishes.

So if this was the case, Sora knew just what to do... he wouldn't have been a food genius if he didn't!

**~o~**

"KAIRI! NAMINÉ! Heeeeeeeeeeeelp!" the brown-haired happy-go-lucky boy cried desperately, running towards his female friends looking dishevelled. School was finally over and as Sora, the two sisters and his silverette best friend all lived in the same neighbourhood, they would usually walk home complaining about the amount of homework they had to do or make fun of their Social Studies teacher who was adamant that his much-too-perfect-and-never-growing bowl cut was not a wig.

"What is it, love?" Naminé started, catching the sprinting teen in her arms. Kairi and Riku stood closeby with their bags almost hanging off their shoulders, waiting for the youngest in their group to catch his breath.

"It's...j-just... I... I wanna d-do something." Sora panted tiredly. "Something... y-you guys could...err, p-probably teach me since I c-can't do it alone. Will you help me?"

The girls looked at each other, asking the other what Sora could be on about with two equally blue gazes. Naminé fixed up Sora's hair a little, ruffling a fair hand through unruly sienna strands.

"Umm, okay. Let's get home first shall we? Riku here's been desperate to talk to some chick in the internet."

"For the last time, Diana is my new pet cockatoo! I'm trying to teach her some words, but she just won't listen to me!" The aquamarine-eyed boy protested as he threw a fist in the air. Kairi and Naminé didn't believe him of course, still pampering their adorable little baby Sora as he clinged onto them like the younger brother he was.

Destiny Village was just a thirty-minute walk from school, which was convenient for the four teens who preferred walking to places rather than riding a car. Their parents were usually out of town, so the four of them had been interchanging house visits every single week, complete with afternoon tea and on Fridays, sleepover nights. It was a fairly quiet neighbourhood with small, single-storeyed homes and lazy willow trees encompassing a majority of the area. A white-sanded beach was also only twenty minutes away; always perfect in the summer and during warm days.

Upon arriving at their common address street, the silverette went off to a separate, red-roofed home while Sora followed the girls five houses away from his. The three left their bags and shoes at the doorway, Naminé looking for slippers the azure-eyed boy could wear indoors. It was then that the red-haired, blue-eyed girl leaned against the wall of the lounge, staring interrogatively at her loveable male best friend.

"Okay, what is it that you want? We can't do anything hard, and it better not be something dodgy."

Sora shook his head fervently. "Noooo! Nothing of the sort, Kai! I just... It's about Roxas." The flustered sixteen year old said, avoiding her sapphire gaze. An eyebrow was raised at this statement before a devious sneer graced Kairi's lovely features.

"_Ahah!_ I knew it! I knew you liked him, ever since the beginning of the semester when you would make googly eyes at the blonde! I mean, even Riku has picked up on it and you know Riku, ever-so-disinterested and unobservant. And your plan to make him smile is just too cute and too sweet I just wanna squeeze you to death for being the saccharine cutie you are!"

"Whaaa? No, no! Really, you guys too? I don't like—"

"What's this I hear about a saccharine cutie?" interrupted the blond girl as she returned with a pair of rabbit slippers.

"He's finally realized he liked Roxas and he wants our help! Kyaaa, isn't it amazing Nam? Our little baby is growing up!"

"Oh really? Waaah, finally! I know it's only been two weeks but man, Kai and I thought you'd never get it! Even Riku has started betting you'd never know until the end of the year! So what is it that you need help with? Valentine's chocolates? A Christmas present? Confession tips and tricks? Maybe we should start by styling your hair a little — it's always so messed up!"

"Err... actually I just need..."

"WHAT? What is it that you need?"

"Do you need condoms? Farr, you move fast, Sora. But you should probably ask Riku about those!"

"KAI! NAM! You're not listening!" The already dying-from-embarrassment brunette yelled, crimson red all over. Apparently a random act of kindness like begladdening someone new was nowadays mistaken as having a crush on said new person. Seriously? _Why was this even so?!_

"Okay, okay enough teasing then. What do you really need?" The blue-eyed blonde queried tonelessly.

Sora swallowed a gulp of air before replying in a teeny voice, "I need your help in making homemade lunches." The supposedly confident ball of energy was now shrivelled up and silent like an armadillo in hiding. Curse misunderstandings for making him look like a ripe tomato in front of his female friends.

"Gaaawwww, that's so cute!" Kairi beamed, almost crying tears of joy.

"It's not that difficult, Sora." said Naminé almost immediately. "We know you can cook, but I guess we could help in arranging the food."

Puppy-like azure orbs lit up valiantly before the two braced themselves for another one of the boy's tackle-like hugs of appreciation. "Waaah! Thanks so much! You guys are angels, seriously! So when do we start?"

The two girls voiced their response in unison: "Right about now!"

**~o~**

While Roxas waited for his ever-so-jovial classmate at their table reading what seemed to be the fifth book in the Casey Doolan mystery series, he didn't expect said classmate carrying two large red bags with god-knows-what was inside of them. They seemed tortuously heavy, so the sunshine-haired teen was inclined to help him out, which meant he unfortunately had to stop reading for a short while.

When the two had eventually settled down at the table, the cerulean-eyed boy drilled a curious finger towards the miscellaneous red bags. "What are those supposed to be?" With the rectangular-like objects evidently protruding from the bag, Roxas figured it was their lunch packed in several lunchboxes. What he didn't understand was why Sora would bring a buffet to school for only the two of them to feast on. He couldn't even finish a whole plateful of food!

"It's our lunch! You hardly eat some, and by the end of lunchtime you only consume a portion of your food because you're always reading. I figured you wanted something better than cafeteria food, so if I made bentos instead, I thought you'd eat more and you'll be happy and healthy! Do you like it?"

What was this, some excerpt from a cheesy love story Roxas didn't really relate to genre-wise? Sora's blue eyes sparkling like the night stars, hands clasped together in a pleading manner, the bags of homemade food in front of him for goodness sake? How was he even supposed to react?

"...err...uhh...thanks, I guess. You must have spent precious time on this... I dunno what to say."

Hah! And for the first time ever, Sora Leonhart renders Roxas Strife speechless in a non-purposeful way! What a scoooooore! In response to the rather feeble appreciation given by the blonde, Sora threw him a grin, proceeding then to fix up their meals so the two could start eating.

It wasn't long before containers and containers of food in different varieties were spread before them, courtesy of Sora's preparation. There were noodle base lunches, fried rice, cut-up chicken and pork chops, scrambled omelettes and Roxas' favourite one of them all: the intricate sleeping teddy bear consisting of brown glutinous rice, seaweed and tangy pickled plums. It was just like an ordinary packed lunch, but appearance-wise, seemed a lot more girly and time-consuming.

"Did you seriously make all these?" The cerulean-eyed boy had to ask, automatically reaching out for some chopsticks to begin digging into the first of many dishes.

"Uh-huh! In case you're wondering, Kairi and Naminé helped me out. It'd be quite surprising if I did this all on my own, hence the over girliness. But I swear, I cooked it all! A food lover isn't one unless they have at least _some_ cooking skills! Eat up!"

Surprisingly enough both boys were able to finish all twelve containers of food, and by the end of their feast Sora would casually glance at Roxas, looking for a smile or at least some kind of grateful expression. Needless to say, Roxas didn't read again until after school, and if that wasn't enough of a compliment, then his repetitive _"thank you"_s and the fact that he ate more than Sora despite his usual portion-controlled diet could have been counted too.

"You have a piece of rice on your face, Roxas."

"Huh?" Pale fingers immediately travelled to an equally pale face, feeling around for the lone rice grain.

"Wait wait wait I'll get it!" The brunette cried, leaning in closer for a better view of Roxas. Cerulean eyes the blonde didn't know were closed sprung open at the finger flick; Sora smiling like the sunlight afterwards. "There! All gone! Hehe, I guess you got too caught up eating, huh? I'm so happy!"

"...yeah. I guess. Thanks again for the food."

"No problem! So... whaddya think? Would you prefer me making lunch or buying it for you?" Sora was soon packing away all their food containers, with Roxas lending a helping hand. The Leonhart teen got a muttered _"hn"_ in return, but with the way Roxas failed to meet his azure eyes, the younger boy figured his friend was just too embarrassed to say anything else.

"How about we have sandwiches tomorrow? I could go to a store and buy some ham or something!" suggested Sora as the two eleventh graders walked side by side towards their shared Physical Education class.

"Sounds good to me."

"Alright then, better look forward to lunch tomorrow!" The chocolate-haired boy skipped ahead, smiling gladly to himself for an amazing accomplishment towards his goal.

_'I promised to make Roxas smile, and slowly but surely, I'm working on it. Just you wait, world. I'm gonna make it happen no matter what it takes!'_

* * *

**Yep. That was it so far :D I hope that was alright! *cowers in a corner of a room with a dark cloud of doubt hovering above* I was thinking of adding more but... I don't want to keep you all waiting too long. Gotta work on the next one immediately o('****ω' )o**

**Chapter Three may be more plot development and of course, more initiation of Sora's drafted plans. Nyahaha~ Please bear with me and don't kill meeee x.x I'm onto it, I promise! Do, however, feel free to give me some advice for this story! Possible ideas are much appreciated too :)**

**Hai~ Itte kimasu!**


	3. Count on Me

**Bonjour! ChiiRyeeBiee here. Goodness gracious me, I'm a terrible person and I'm not even gonna deny it ( ´Д`)y━･**

**You know that moment in writing where you have an idea or something, and you try to expand it, then it ends up taking twists and turns and you're just like, "THIS IS NOT WORKING!" then you crumple everything up into one giant ball of doom, start again, and the same stupid cycle repeats? Well, ya. I normally plan things ahead so developing this plot was and is still complicated to me. It's soooo weird! ((((；ﾟ****Дﾟ****))))))) Oh woe my perfectionist personality.**

**Here is what I have so far for Chapter Three. Please please please tell me how it is, along with pointing out my silly errors and grammatical mistakes. :D I also need to fill my idea bank even with a kind of chronological chapter plan, but it's so vague it's hardly a good plan to begin with sooooo... ideas are gladly welcome :)**

**Oh, and one more thing! My last minute comment **—** I dedicate zis chapta to A Lonely Dreamer, who is undeniably the nicest person on earth. Thank you so much for encouraging me to finish this! I finally got through Chapter Three which tormented me for two whole months... *cries more tears of joy***

**Zis is shounen-ai if that wasn't already clear, and I don't own Kingdom Hearts at all. Expect more OOC and cliché fluff because that is what defines my weird-thinking mind right now. With that said, smile with me as you read Smile A Little, Will Ya Chapter Three! (That was a cool rhyme. Hehehe.)**

* * *

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Smile A Little, Will Ya?

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

_"Roxas..."_

_-~-~-~-A voice; familiar yet unbeknown.-~-~-~-_

**_~o~_**

_"Look at this Roxas! Isn't it pretty?"_

_-~-~-~-Calling out, like a reminder of a cry.-~-~-~-_

**_~o~_**

_"Roxas, I love you."_

_-~-~-~-Desperate, calm. Reaching out, waiting.-~-~-~-_

**_~o~_**

_"We'll always be together, right?"_

_-~-~-~-He'll always be there.-~-~-~-_

**_~o~_**

_"You're the awesomest, Roxas. I'm so lucky to have you."_

_-~-~-~-Don't ever forget him.-~-~-~-_

**_~o~_**

_"...why the long face... where's that pretty smile you have?"_

_-~-~-~-He wants you to be happy.-~-~-~-_

**_~o~_**

_"Oh come on. Don't give me that nonsense. Smile a little, will ya?"_

_-~-~-~-So let him go and be free.-~-~-~-_

**_~o~_**

_"Y-you. R-r-roxas. K-k-know you. L-love R-roxas. M-me l-l-love R-roxas."_

_-~-~-~-Don't cry no more.-~-~-~-_

**_~o~_**

_"S-s-s-smile for m-me."_

_-~-~-~-Smile.-~-~-~-_

**_~o~_**

_"M-m-me. A-a-always h-h-here."_

* * *

~Chapter Three: Count On Me~

The early morning rays of sunlight proceeded to shine down on a red-roofed house not far from the local college of Destiny Village. A venturing ray seeping through viridian curtains and the constant _cockadoodledoos _of neighbouring chickens awakened an early-rising teenage boy from his slumber. Greeting the morning with a big stretch and loud yawn, he looked for the small calendar on his bedroom wall; cerulean eyes squinting as he read the current date off of it. Sigh. It was yet another day spent living in his temporary home — the home he had been staying at by himself for almost two months now. Heh. His normally protective mother would be worried sick by now. Letting her only living son move to a neighbouring town was hard for her, but she understood that Roxas needed to get away from home for a while. All the memories were there, so there was no way he'd be able to move on if he was constantly surrounded by them. On the plus side, maybe he could make friends in this new town like he was slowly doing so, and learn how to live a life of independence. Maybe he could forget about the past that still haunted him, courtesy of the company he found in that class clown Sora as he originally thought.

Tch. If **only** it was _that_ _easy._

Roxas had to contemplate for a moment about whether or not he should get out of bed, but then again he remembered he had something to do on this fine Saturday morning. A decision was made as he put on his fuzzy slippers and made his way towards the kitchenette of his small home to have some breakfast. As he ate, a longing look from wandering cerulean eyes trained on one of the cramped storage rooms — a room he hadn't entered ever since he moved in. He organized the place yes, but not once had he set foot in that room for fear of breaking down at what he would see. Roxas knew it was irrational to bring That Thing with him in the first place, but he couldn't help wanting to hold on to that last piece he still had of _Him, _a treasure _He_ did not even know of or see.

Once his toast was consumed and his cereal and glass of milk devoured, the blonde boy got changed and left his home as quickly as he could. A piece of paper reading_ library _sat beside the bowl he ate from, recently crumpled and marked with strawberry jam.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

"So Sora, how's the_ 'plan' _been going on, huh lover boy?"

It was finally the weekend and Sora, Riku, Kairi and Naminé were walking along the busy streets of Destiny Village's ever-so-popular shopping side of town. It wasn't too bad a day as cumulu-cirrus clouds rode the sky, while birds flew from branch to branch, tweeting for all it was worth. The breeze was mild and gentle even in the shopping areas of Destiny Village, picking up fallen leaves and carrying them wherever they would go.

"What are you talking about?" The brunette inquired, hands in his pockets as he led the group along. He was the one responsible for taking his friends shopping today. Despite it not being a school day, his plan to make a certain blonde classmate smile was still on his mind, and while he was on a break from school, Sora figured that he may as well proceed with working on the next thing on his list.

There weren't many bookshops in town since the village was small and solitary, appropriate for those who preferred to live quiet and stress-free lives. There was, however, that one bookshop the blue-eyed brunette knew was always open around the corner of the internet café, and the four of them were heading there as of the moment.

"Oh, _you know. _You and your plan to make our good ol' pal Roxy smile. I don't suppose you brought us here to go walking to a bookshop for no apparent reason, _hmm?_" The sardonic silver-haired teen claimed, his voice pitchy and mocking. The two sisters who brought up the rear of the group merely rolled their eyes at the neverending annoyance that was Riku. There goes his daily _"infuriate Sora"_ comments again...

"Well, yeah I'm working on it!" Sora hissed, displeased with his supposed best friend's attitude. Goodness, it's like the silverette had a problem with Roxas! What did the blonde ever do to him? Riku hadn't been as disapproving with his plans to make other people smile before. He knew Riku was supportive of his actions, but sometimes Sora didn't even know if the boy had a grudge on his new found friend or he was just being a bastard as always.

"...I'm heading over to a bookshop right now to get him a book he may like." The azure-eyed boy explained, turning a head towards the aquamarine-eyed male for a brief moment before directing his attention back at the road before him. "You know the guy. He's always reading. Maybe if I get him a good book then he'd at least have one tiny reason to smile."

"Awww. That's so sweet, Sora." Naminé cooed, giggling with her sister Kairi who was thinking the same thing.

"You're way too nice to him. He's so lucky to have you as a friend." mentioned the red-haired girl. "But then again, _everyone's_ lucky to have you as a friend..."

"We're not even kidding, bro. It's like you have a crush on him. Seriously." Riku scoffed, trudging while he kicked the hard ground nonchalantly.

_Sweet._

_Lucky._

_Crush._

_Pffft._

What was with Sora's best friends thinking he had a crush on Roxas? Gaaaah! Didn't they get it at all? He. Was. Just. Trying. To. Make. Roxas. Smile. They should look at the guy and see if he didn't bring their spirits down by frowning like there was no tomorrow. Life was good! Everyone should have every reason to smile! But there they were, his best friends, more focused on the fact that his being kind to the blonde was some sign of _personal affection_ for him. **Ridiculous!**

"I do not have a crush on Roxas!"

An azure eye twitched irritatedly to accompany the teen's protesting response. But of course, his best friends didn't believe him, since they looked at him with this _"err, ya you do" _kind of creepy smile on their faces, signalling to the brunette of their none-too-friendly wordless teasing.

"Sure, sure. Have it _your_ way. You don't _like_ him. You're just trying to _make him smile._ End of story." Riku voiced ever-so-satirically. It seemed that Sora didn't pick up on his tone because the class clown immediately yelled, "EXACTLY!" to the older male's face before turning around and continuing his journey towards the bookshop.

"He so likes him."

"Hmph. It's not everyday he goes around buying gifts for everyone he wants to smile. I'm his best guy friend, and he's never bought me anything to make me smile!"

"I CAN HEAR YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW!"

"I guess, but the way he always acts cute to charm out Roxas is the biggest giveaway yet... it's basically got "I LOVE YOU" written out across it."

"GUYS!"

"Can't I at least have the latest replica model of a Lamborghini? That would make me smile!"

"Riku...!"

"What? I'm just saying!"

"Oh, hey. We're here."

The four friends were soon standing in front of a very crowded bookshop, where groups of business people and teenagers of different ages were crowding up the counter with a pile of books at hand. Sora was really the only one interested in reading, so he wasn't too surprised at how desperate these people looked - pushing in line or shouting in phones as they boasted about grabbing the latest popular novel first.

"Gee. I never knew so many people in Destiny Village read books." said Riku, not believing the sight before him.

The girls nodded in agreement. Kairi scanned the place for any good books on sale her youngest male friend could purchase and was met with a conveniently displayed sign screaming, _"POPULAR READS! LIMITED EDITION SERIES COLLECTION!"_ above one of the shelves near the front of the shop.

"Hmmm... Hey, Sora. It looks like they've just released a new series, and it's hot on the sales right now. Looks popular too. I mean look at the line — they're all getting the same thing." the blue-eyed redhead pointed out. Naminé saved the brunette some time by walking inside the shop and getting a hold of the limited edition series pack, proceeding then to line up and ushering the other three with a hand gesture to come inside.

"Maybe Roxas will love this, Sora. It was the last one, so we're lucky I grabbed it." she grinned, showing the sixteen year old the same series pack everyone in the shop seemed to be drooling about. There were already complaints and death glares being thrown at them for grabbing the last of them all, but Sora ignored this and took a hold of the books instead.

"_Glass of Ember Series by The Enflixer..._ It's a sci-fi dystopian novel with an academy award. I guess he'd like it." Sora mumbled to himself, soon searching for the price tag to see if he could afford it.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTT!"

**~o~**

After their hour-long line up in the bookshop, the four friends exited the place looking like they'd just been trampled on by a stampede of buffaloes, with their hair sticking out in places and their clothes acquiring more creases than possible. They dusted themselves off before heading to a food court, intent to eat something after going through such a suffering.

"You owe me for this, Sora." the silverette roared furiously, still frowning at how painful his legs felt for standing so long. "No, actually, I take that back. Roxas owes me for this, Sora. He better smile or I'll kick his legs out to see how he likes being in a line for **sixty full minutes!"**

"Oh come on, Riku. It wasn't that bad." Naminé shrugged, glancing at Sora for confirmation. The brunette didn't look so happy himself.

"I'm never eating out for three months. Oh my gosh. What am I gonna do? How can I even pay for food right now!?" whimpered the azure-eyed boy who was walking like a hunched zombie.

"Hey. Sometimes we need to sacrifice for love, right Naminé?"

"Yeah. Kairi's right. Roxas will love it, and it'll be worth it in the end." The blonde girl stated, putting a hand on each of her male friends' shoulders to comfort them.

"Oh **come on!** For the ten-millionth time, I do not have a crush on Roxas!"

"You do, Sora."

"I don't!"

"Do."

"Don't!"

"Riku, Sora, this argument is getting nowhere."

"Sora, Roxas, sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G..."

"Noooooooo shut up shut up shut up! No KISSING, no ANYTHING AT ALL! I don't like Roxas and I will never like him that way, ever ever EVER!" The happy-go-lucky but not-so-happy-right-now teen pouted, crossing his arms with a huff to show his evident irritation. Aww. The supposedly always-smiling Sora was mad! What a sight! The three didn't even bother to comfort their friend as they were way too amused by their youngest's failing attempt to act all serious and very "Roxas".

Maybe it was better for Sora to be in denial, Riku thought. At least he wouldn't have to worry about his best friend, whom he was very protective of despite what others said, crying about someone who didn't return the same feelings for him. He could see the future now — the brunette and the blonde _holding hands_, the brunette and the blonde _hugging_, the brunette and the blonde _kissi_— okay maybe he shouldn't be thinking about that, but it was _still a possibility! _Then they would break up, or Roxas would leave, and Sora will cry, cry, cry — something he didn't like seeing, and never wanted to for as long as he lived.

Unbeknownst to the eldest male of the group, the twin girls were thinking the exact same thing as they observed Sora acting like a spoiled brat in front of them, excepting all pessimistic thoughts and replacing them with fluffy clouds of happiness and cute, colourful rainbows of love. The sixteen year old just needed a little time, maybe a push towards the finish line if that helped. They knew Sora had never been with anyone as he was always selflessly thinking about others before himself. The blue-eyed male professed to never have time for it, quoting, _"gotta make everyone happy, y'know?"_ as much as he could. They'd never seen Sora smile so bright before Roxas came around. The blonde certainly needed someone as bright as Sora Leonhart, so they were glad that they had each other. Besides, they didn't think Roxas would _dare_ break Sora's heart. If he did, well, there was always Riku.

The eldest girl spoke up, making the decision to change the subject before their little Sora lost his temper in the feud between the silver-haired male and himself.

"You know, we still have extra pocket money left over, right Naminé? We could grab sushi and hit the road. Our treat. Maybe we could have a picnic at the beach before the sun sets!"

"Yeah!"

"Sounds good. I'm in." Riku uttered.

The three best friends waited for the male sixteen year old to reply, staring at the free-spirited boy to scrutinize him for his opinion.

"Mhhmm... okay. But no more, _"I'm in love with Roxas_" remarks! S'not trueee and never will beeeee!"

"Fine with me. Kairi?"

"Yup! Riku?"

"Whatever."

Tch. Friends. It was nice to have them around, Sora thought, despite their constant nagging about the class clown's supposed feelings for a certain sunshine-haired teen. Maybe the three wouldn't mind Roxas tagging along the next time, since hanging out with friends was yet another way to make one happy. Come to think of it, Roxas hadn't been socializing with anyone but himself, and sure the guy was an antisocial freak, but that didn't mean he completely hated company here and there, right? Yep. The next thing on Sora's list demanded having friends around. Sooner or later, Sora knew, Roxas would be smiling beyond compare!

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

**Commencing Phase Seven: Read It Till You Grin!**

As always, Roxas was the first to arrive at their table, waiting for Sora to bring in their lunch like he always did. It had been a good month or so since they first started hanging out, and so the cerulean-eyed boy had gotten used to his brunette friend's way-too-happy personality and his not-so-discreet plan to make him smile.

Roxas was still as quiet as usual when it came to their everyday hangouts, though. He had no idea what it meant to become a "_friend", _so he frequently kept his mouth shut and let Sora do all the talking. There were times, however, when he wouldn't even say hello to the class favourite, and they'd be silent the whole lunchtime. Sora was trying to give him some time of his own to adjust, and Roxas would mostly be reading since he didn't even know how to act. Things would be much easier for the Twilight High student if _He _was here. But He wasn't, and there was no way He'd ever come back, so Roxas really just had to deal with it.

A weird thought which constantly niggled at the back of the blonde's mind was that the brunette hasn't taken action in his "smile plan" for a while now. Maybe Sora gave up? Maybe he was giving him space? Well, whatever the situation was, Roxas was okay with it, since it was difficult to make him smile. But then again, he wasn't even trying.

He didn't like seeming heartless for not appearing to appreciate Sora's advances, even if in reality Roxas _was_ grateful for the boy's kindness despite not really deserving it. It would be cruel to dampen his friend's spirits, since Sora has been nothing but warmhearted towards him. The azure-eyed boy was way too kind to him for nothing, and Roxas didn't like it.

"ROXAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS!" called out a certain hyperactive brunette from afar. The boy was sprinting as fast as he could towards their table even though he appeared to be carrying another one of his mysterious gift bags. Guess he spoke too fast about the _"giving up" _part. Roxas just hoped it wasn't something he'd need to repay the guy for.

When Sora arrived, he brought two containers of lunch with him - a scrumptiously healthy serving of homemade tacos this time. How Sora could make lunch for the both of them everyday during his own spare time, on top of getting himself ready for school was a mystery to the Twilight High student.

"Thanks for lunch as always, Sora." The blonde muttered quietly before taking a first bite of his taco. He thought something was a little off when he didn't get a reply, but his doubts were eliminated when he was greeted with the loudest outburst imaginable.

"GUESS WHAAAAAAT! Guess what guess what guess what GUESS WHAAAAT!" The chocolate-haired teen yelled to the sky, attaching himself to the right arm of his companion.

"Err...what?"

Sora took a few deep breaths before making yet another shrill of excitement. "I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU! I got it during the weekend and I hope you'll like it. Open it open it open it open it open it OPEN IT!" He beamed, thrusting the mysterious gift bag he carried after detaching himself from Roxas. Inside it was a heavy-looking rectangular package, and it wasn't perfectly gift-wrapped which indicated to Roxas that the brunette wrapped it up himself. A blue ribbon sat on top of the cream-coloured box; the colour of Roxas' eyes.

"You know, my birthday isn't in another five months. Why give this to me?"

The younger sixteen year old flashed his companion with yet another typical grin and an accompanied peace sign. "Hehe. That's easy. I just want to make to happy! Now open it up, Roxas! I hope you'll like it!"

"..._hn._"

Moving aside the taco container, pale hands reached out for the present, delicately peeling off the wrapping paper and folding it all into one big square. The previously wrapped gift soon turned out to be a tightly-packed series of books with black covers; fiery images decorating the first book. For a moment it was as though time has stopped because the sunshine-haired teen was rendered speechless, and Sora could only wait and see what his friend thought of his present.

Silence.

...

Silence.

...

And yes, more and more silence.

...

This wasn't what the Destiny College student was expecting.

"Err, Roxas, are you okay?" Sora dared to ask, a little worried about turning his blonde-haired friend into stone. A faint reply broke through the noiseless air, serving as reassurance to the blue-eyed brunette about the matter of Roxas' condition.

"I didn't hear that, sorry. What did you say?"

Roxas had to clear his throat a few times until he could finally speak in an audible tone. If Sora was looking carefully, he would have seen the stoic boy hold on closely to the series collection, arms wrapped around it like a protective hug.

"You _didn't._" Roxas hissed almost faintly, his voice quiet yet a little too alarming.

"I didn't what?"

"I can't believe you, you weirdo. I can't believe you got me this."

"Huh? You don't like it?" Sora mumbled, his previous bubbly self slowly depleting to a depressing state. Oh no. Did he seriously get the wrong present? Was it really_ that bad?!_ He couldn't tell if Roxas liked or hated it, since the Twilight High student had his eyebrows furrowed like he was angry about getting this particular present or something. And Sora even worked so hard to get it... He thought Roxas would smile about it or like it at least... Oh man, what a bummer.

The brunette was snapped out of his reverie when Roxas spoke up after minutes of just staring at the series collection before him.

"God, Sora. What am I gonna do with you? How am I supposed to pay you back for all this?" The Twilight High teen's voice cracked in the process, laced with shock and appreciation.

"So... _you _**_do_**_ like it?_"

Roxas nodded his head slowly, once again hugging the series collection into his arms.

"I've been working so hard to get this forever. The Enflixer is one of the most well known sci-fi writers out there, and I was really looking forward to these..." The blue-eyed blonde explained. "They're crazy expensive. Borrowing these from the library would keep me waiting for a whole year, and one book costs a lot of dollars as it is."

"Really?" Tanned arms travelled to the back of the younger's head, posing like one of the popular jocks at his school. "Heh, I guess I got lucky then. That was the last stock in our local bookshop, and the fact that it was on your wishlist made it all the more lucky!"

Yup. Lucky indeed. He was expecting a worse reaction, but now everything was alright! Phew! The panicked turmoil the chocolate-haired teen carried within himself dissipated progressively as he mentally breathed a sigh of relief.

On the other hand, the Twilight High student looked to be conflicted on whether or not he should fully accept the highly thoughtful present. "...This is really mine, right? You're not joking or anythi—"

"Hey... No returns allowed~ S'yours now, Roxas." Sora interrupted, throwing his arms around the very agitated blonde. The Destiny College student couldn't help but grin at the priceless (albeit subtle) exclamation of happiness Roxas had. Naminé was right. It was worth all his pocket money and that long hour of waiting outside the bookshop if he got to see this softer side of his newfound friend. The only thing missing was the blonde's actual smile. Though his voice and the way he held his present as though it was fragile Roxas' happiness, the guy still managed to keep a straight face. It was a little peculiar to the brunette.

"Thank you, Sora. Thank you so much."

The addressed teen turned to look at his companion with azure eyes that sparkled cheerfully. As much as he loved making others smile, somehow making Roxas happy made Sora gladder than anything else. He didn't know why it was so, and he didn't really need to. As long as someone was glad and it was he who made them so, nothing else mattered to Sora Leonhart.

"Heehee, it was nothing, really." the younger boy scratched away at chocolate hair as though he was trying to look innocent. There was no way he was going to reveal what he went through to get the books - that would be like saying Roxas better appreciate it since Sora got it especially for him. And for some reason thinking about this conjured the thought of a devil Riku, quoting about his pained, pained legs from two days ago. At least Roxas did like his present. He'd ought to tell that to the complaining silverette.

**~o~**

Roxas was already browsing through the first book when the brunette finally returned to reality. The blonde was multitasking with eating and reading food again, but this time at least Sora could understand why.

"How'd you get this anyway? I doubt it costed less than a hundred dollars. One book alone's about thirty dollars max. And since there are six in here plus the extra epilogue story that would be around two hundred and ten dollars..."

Cerulean orbs widened as he tried to comprehend how his friend could afford for something so... expensive _just for him_.

"...Uuuhh, it really wasn't much, Roxas. Don't worry about it...! Hehe, umm, yeah..."

It was all Sora could say (with a rather suspicious tone at that too) without revealing any more. He remembered the way his friends looked at him when he was about to return the series back to the shelves to find something a little bit lighter on his wallet. Before he knew it, all three pulled out a pile of cash each, contributing to the small cause that was the blue-eyed brunette's plan. Riku was the one who walked up to him, clapping just enough bills on his palm which Sora could use to pay for the monstrosity of a present.

_"It's the least we can do to help. Even though Roxas is a know-it-all nerd who I'll probably never like for you. Ever."_

Sigh. Sora could never understand Riku. Even if the guy was his best friend.

When the blonde finally finished eating and gave up on reading, Roxas was suddenly staring at a bush somewhere to his right as though it was the most interesting thing in the world. Sora noticed the older boy's inattentiveness and decided to voice a quiet "Roxas?", concerned with the unhappy aura his friend was currently surrounded with.

"I used to smile, you know. Three years ago, before everything changed for me..."

The sudden confession surprised the athletic boy, but the fact that his quiet companion was finally opening up ever-so-slowly to him was a good thing and he vowed to listen to his friend's problems in hopes to make him feel better.

"...but just because I don't smile, doesn't mean I'm always sad and never happy. I really appreciate the gift — don't get me wrong about that — but I don't think I can just smile again."

Sora took this opportunity to reach out for a pale hand and squeeze it endearingly.

"Hey... just because you can't smile, doesn't mean you will never be able to. As the class clown of 11-2 and your newfound friend, I promise I would do anything I could to make you smile!" The Leonhart teen beamed. "That's my goal this year, and if I have to shout out freebies for you or use up all my free time planning for it, well I don't care. I just want to see you smile."

...

_"...Roxy... I just wanted to see you smile, I really didn't mean mess your project up, I swear. I thought you'd like it. Please? I'm sorry?"_

_"...please..."_

_"...where's that silly little grin? The one you use when you're watching The Nobody Show and you piss yourself giggling when Saïx gives Xemnas a hiding? What was that joke again _—_ errr, "Why didn't you do the house chores," Saïx would say and Xemnas would reply, "Because I have _**_nothing_**_ to do" or something? There... there! Yep, I win. Hey! No hitting! I just wanted to see you smile! Ow ow ow ow okay I'm sorry leggo of me ow ow ow, please don't be mad anymore..."_

...

At that very moment Roxas wanted nothing more but to hug the brunette for his extreme selflessness and care towards him. But of course the blonde had a reputation he had to uphold, and this didn't include being sappy and emotional like Sora usually was. Instead of choosing the first option, he opted for squeezing back at the younger's hand while searching for that interesting bush somewhere-out-there once again. It was Sora who ended up hugging the cerulean-eyed boy, and Roxas really didn't mind the Leonhart teen's clinginess anymore. He had a friend — someone who believed in him, someone who would do anything to make sure he was alright. A friend, who was _just like Him_.

"I'm counting on you then, Sora." Roxas murmured, inaudible enough so that Sora wouldn't hear it.

_I'm counting on you to help me smile once again._

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

**Commencing Phase Eight: So You Think You Can Dance?**

Everyone loved games.

That is, Sora hoped everyone did, anyway. The first two months of school guaranteed every Destiny College student a highly stressful time, so it was fortunate that their mid-semester school holidays were approaching very soon. Their teachers had been giving out bucketloads of homework for their so-called, "two weeks off school resting time", claiming that "it wasn't too much to do" and that they should "go have a good rest from schoolwork too". Talk about contradictory!

During the final week of the first semester, the brunette made it a goal to finish all his holiday homework in the library along with his best friends every lunchtime so that they could go out and have some fun in their grand vacation. After all, that was what they were for. Resting. Sleeping. Having a holiday, for goodness sake! It wasn't all about "study" and "school" and "reading ahead for the next topic". That was what **school** was for! Sheesh!

The highly-favoured class clown was in the middle of finishing a Biology-related question when his mind drifted off to lala land. Riku, Kairi and Naminé agreed that they would all go to a game center with Roxas and himself on the first Monday of their vacation. It was only normal for him to be super excited, since it was going to be their first real hangout as new friends together. He knew Kairi and Naminé liked the Strife teen, but he wasn't too sure about Riku. He hoped they wouldn't be thrown out of the game center for starting a useless fight on who had to go first.

"Oi, Sora. More work, less daydreaming." The sharp tone made the athletic boy snap out of his reverie. Looking up at people across him, he could see Kairi and Naminé scrawling answers to their homework, their finished pile getting higher and higher by the minute. The silverette looked to be at the last paragraph of his Geography essay, tapping a pen on his head as he thought of alternate words for climate.

_'I wonder how Roxas is doing...' _Sora voiced inwardly, finally writing down the solution to his question. Even though his friends didn't mind him hanging out with Roxas so much, the blue-eyed blonde still somehow felt uncomfortable hanging out with other people. The latter decided to skip their homework session for the music room, declaring that he wanted to listen to the lunchtime concert instead. Roxas wouldn't ever skip out on their hangout day, would he?

Eventually the school bell rang and the four friends had to pick up their things and head to last period. Thursday... Friday... It would be just two more days until the school holidays came! The chocolate-haired boy could hardly wait! In a week's time, he'd be versing his friends in a shooting match, vowing to take the victory for himself!

**~o~**

"Oh come on! You've _got to be kidding me!_ Roxas WON AGAIN?!"

The flustered yet still competitive silverette whined, throwing his arms up in the air in frustration. And mind you, Riku never whined. Complain, yes, but never whine. He also _never lost_ to anyone in any game, be it dodgeball or paper-scissors-rock for that matter. This then takes us to the current scene of a stomping, exasperated aquamarine-eyed gorilla demanding for his ninth rematch in a row — the other players in the game center doing their signs of the cross for protection while his other four companions shook their heads in disbelief.

Sora was the one who spoke up first, patting his male best friend on the back with a calming hand. "Riku, you're scaring everyone. It's just a game."

Neck crack. Eye twitch. Complete and utter silence...

...

...

...

"...what... did you just... SAY?"

The Leonhart teen rolled his eyes at his infuriated best friend, not even slightly intimidated by the feral gritting of teeth or the dangerous narrowing of aquamarine orbs. "I _said_... Riku, you're scaring everyone. It's. Just. A. Game."

...

...

...

Oh no he didn't.

"NOBODY BUT NOBODY SAYS THAT DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION IS **JUST A GAME**, YA HEAR ME? Now where are my tokens?!"

Digging through his pockets, Riku took a handful of coins, growling animalistically when he tried to lodge them forcefully into the machine. "You up for another match, blondie? There's no way I'll accept defeat, you sneaky, cheating bastard! This time, I'll crush you for sure!"

"...hn."

GOODNESS GRACIOUS ME, ROXAS WASN'T EVEN TRYING! THIS DEMANDED A CRUEL DEATH REMATCH FOR SURE!

**~o~Two Hours Earlier~o~**

After struggling to get all their homework done in a limited amount of time, the four students from Destiny College greeted their holidays with lots of smiles and happy faces. The aquamarine-eyed teen even dared to walk up to everyone he passed by, boasting, "SCHOOL'S OVER, SUCKERS!" like the weirdo he was. Kairi and Naminé were just glad to finally have enough time to work on their hobbies of drawing, cooking and designing clothes, and Sora, well, he sure as hell was looking forward their hangout day and his big opportunity to see the blonde smile.

The first two days for Sora involved the typical binge eating and sleeping and watching tv with his father Leon and his mother Tifa. Sora inherited his love for food from his father and cooking talent from his mother, and so everytime the two were home, they'd all have cooking competitions with each other to see who could be the next Leonhart Master Chef. Sora was usually in the lead just before Tifa, but lately his father had been doing research on pastas and prepared the sweetest spaghetti created by all mankind. At the end of the day, the eleventh grader would go to bed dreaming about tomato sauce and meatballs, and for some reason, there was always the furtive addition of a particular blue-eyed blonde he knew.

Destiny Village, being the small suburban town it was, only had one game center. Because it was the holidays, teens from all over the town would usually flock at the entrance but thankfully enough today was a fairly quiet day. Kairi, Naminé, Riku and Sora were first to the entrance, standing out of line to wait for the rather late Strife teen to make his appearance. As expected, the eldest male started spouting off doubtful comments, betting that Roxas was probably "way too lazy to get up" or "preferred a book over games anyway". It was then that the Twilight High exchange student walked up to them dressed in a black hoodie and skinny jeans, not even slightly offended by the rude remarks Riku made.

"Hn." The boy shrugged, which Sora knew was the blonde's gesture of hello.

"Hah! I knew Roxas would come! In your face, Riku-bastard! Now let's go go go inside so we can all play! Oh this so exciting!" The chocolate-haired boy cried, desperately dragging all his friends to finally enter the game center. Riku was still muttering profanities while Roxas kept his mouth shut; Kairi and Naminé once again giggling to themselves about some random yet mysterious girl thing.

Meeting five curious pairs of eyes were game machines of all types - target shooting games, racing games, whack-a-squirrel games - you name it. The arcade was also well lit with disco-like lights of red, green, blue and orange, making the place seem welcoming and lively and joyous to be in. There were candy winning machines, teddy bear clamping machines, bouncy ball dispensers and even the typical girly photo booth located near the game center entrance. At the right most part of the place was an ice cream stall and the main desk where players could purchase their gaming tokens and exchange their winning tickets with any fabulous prize put on display.

Compared to other game centers, Destiny Village's one had a unique four-dimensional movie ride where one is strapped on to a seat, taking twists and turns according to the roller-coaster-like adventure on screen. Sora also enjoyed playing with the Deal or No Deal machine, the basketball game and his utmost favourite - a game called ReaXion, where one had to hit a number of lighting buttons as fast as they could whilst competing with another player.

"What do you want to play first, Roxas? You can choose! Anything to make you smile!" The chocolate-haired boy decided, glomping the blonde from behind. The twins reacted with a quiet "aww" in the background while the silver-haired teen snobbishly "hmphed" to himself, not pleased with his best friend's choice of a partner.

"...hn."

"Err, how about we play basketball? You can win lots of tickets through that!"

"I thought you were supposed to make _Roxas_ _choose_, not _you_ _choose_ for him, Sora!"

"M'not choosing for him! I'm just suggesting!"

"How about the Wheel of Fortune game? That's pretty simple and easy."

"That's way too boring, Nam. I think these boys would prefer _some action_."

"Err... the San Francisco Racers game?"

"...hn."

"Radical Rally Racers tops SF Racers without a doubt."

"I think we should all just go participate in that Motion Master thing over there."

"...that one."

"No way! That should be our last choice!"

"Oi guys, Roxas already made a decision!"

"There are other better game machines around here, you know!"

"Riku, Sora! Roxas has already chosen the game he wants us to play!"

"He has?! What is it then?" Sora and Riku said in unison, turning their heads towards the silent sunshine-haired teen to confirm his choice of game.

A pale finger pointed at the very popular machine sparkling and shining with an invisible angelic aura somewhere at the back of the arcade. To Riku, some kind of choir music played in the background as he set eyes on the inexplicably remarkable game. A shocked gasp escaped from the silverette's lips before he proceeded to approach the machine with utmost caution, hands shaking profusely as though he was resisting the temptation to worship the superficial thing.

"You, Roxas, are my _new best friend._" He proclaimed, aquamarine orbs threatening to water at Roxas' ultimately perfect choice. Unfazed by Riku's emotional reaction, the blonde managed to reply with a simple "hn".

"_Hey!_ I'm Roxas' best friend!"

"Nuh-uh, Sora. Not anymore, you aren't! Come, my prudent partner in crime! Let's ditch this yapping brunette and seize the day!"

The particular game machine the five teens were interested in had a large screen displaying a neverending playlist of songs, and on its platform were four distinctively-coloured arrows. A yellow banner was intermittently flashing the words,_ "Insert Token Here!" _on the screen, accompanied by some kind of dancy background music.

Well, Sora did say that Roxas could choose _any_ game he wanted, and if Dance Dance Revolution was his key to see the blonde smile, then so be it.

"Seriously, Riku? _Prudent partner in crime?_ You've definitely gone wacko haven't you? I mean, didn't you hate Roxas thirty minutes ago? What are you now, his _knight in shining armour?_" Kairi mocked, hands on her hips as she attained her "serious mother" pose. Sora took this opportunity to facepalm at the silverette's pathetic choice of words, the blonde girl following suit.

"Pfft. You guys are just jealous of my and Roxas' astounding game preferences and our undoubtedly obvious awesomeness. Never underestimate the masterpiece that is DDR. It is the **god** of all arcade games! Besides, I bet _you_ can't even beat me at this game at all! One round of _Baby Baby Gimme Your Love_ right now! Winner has to admit that they're Roxas' best friend. You up for it, huh, _Sora-poo_?"

The Leonhart teen didn't even stop himself from doing another facepalm in response to Riku's weirdness. But heck, who knew that the guy had a closet obsession of DDR? Certainly not Sora of course. The guy has never shown interest in the game for as long as they lived to visit the arcade. Being the athletic azure-eyed boy he was however, there was no way Sora would ever turn down a challenge, even if it was against the "almighty" Riku! Besides, maybe this time around he could win against the aquamarine-eyed teen and impress Roxas with his amazingly hidden dancing skills!

"Heh. Bring it on, Riku-bastard! Just you wait... _You're going down!_"

**~o~**

Inevitably, Sora was left panting at one of the chairs near the main desk after two straight rounds of tap dancing to Britney Spears' songs, plus three at random selection. The madman that was Riku couldn't help but flaunt his wins, still singing _Toxic _in a rather deafening manner. The twins were nowhere to be seen - possibly at that girly photo booth they'd been talking about non-stop ever since they entered the place, and a small audience was gathering around the DDR machine - some rooting for Riku and some rooting for Sora.

Roxas looked as serious as always, but he didn't hide his worry over the azure-eyed teen's poor condition. Walking over to the brunette, the cerulean-eyed boy took a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to the younger teen to wipe himself.

"You okay? That was some dancing you had to do back there. If I do say so myself, you were definitely better than Riku in terms of technique."

An appreciative smile was directed at the Strife teen before Sora made his response.

"I'm alright. It's just Riku... Heh. Was he always that good at DDR? I never even knew he had an unhealthy obsession with the thing!"

"...hn. Sorry about picking DDR in the first place... now you're on the receiving end of Riku's game-obsessed wrath."

Sora chuckled at the Twilight High student's remark. "It's alright. I've never had this much fun playing in an arcade before. At least we're all happy right? I just hope you're not bored or anything."

The sunshine-haired teen sat down next to his friend, providing company for the exhausted chocolate-haired boy. Nope. He wasn't bored. It was kind of amusing seeing the two verse each other like cats and dogs over a typical game. It kind of reminded him of...Him, really.

"You know, I've been to many game centers before. There are hundreds scattered all over Twilight Town, all varying in games and prizes. One day, there was a DDR competition held in the closest arcade to my house, and I decided to enter it."

"Really? Did you win?" inquired Sora curiously.

"Nah. I lost to another person who was better than me, but I achieved second place overall. Guess I was just affected by the memories..."

A far-off look from cerulean orbs was shot somewhere in the vicinity of the arcade. The Leonhart teen sensed the tension around the blue-eyed blonde, proceeding then to give the guy a comforting cuddle.

"You miss Twilight Town, don't you?" He concluded, leaning on his friend to let him know that he wasn't alone. Sora knew he was getting a little attached to Roxas. It was hard to imagine that by the end of the year, this friend of his would move back to the place he came from. After all, Roxas was only a temporary exchange student. Ever since childhood, he'd been together with Naminé, Riku and Kairi, so the brunette didn't really know how painful it would feel if one of them ever went away. Roxas was far from home, and surely he must have friends there who miss him just as much as he would by the time the year was over. He knew he couldn't be with Roxas forever but hey? It wasn't even the end of the year yet! No use getting sad about it if they were in a game center to have fun!

"...hmm, I guess I do miss home. That and so much more..." Roxas admitted, thoughts drifting back to the memories he should be forgetting. They stayed in that position for a while before the Destiny College student stood up, holding a tan hand out to help his companion.

"Well, at least you can be assured you're going back at the end of the school year. Not too long from now; just three more semesters and we'll be on the jackpot day! And I promise to you that I would make you smile by then so that all your wonderful friends from home can see it once more. You can count on me!" encouraged Sora, grinning like always from ear to ear. At this, the Twilight High student nodded back, taking the offered hand before the two returned to the DDR machine together with the still-gloating Riku-bastard.

"Thank you, thank you, my lovely fans and DDR lovers. Now after our long-awaited break, we must delve back into action with me as your hero, fighting all evil known as Sora-poo the Devious. You ready to lose to me again, Sor? Our audience is waiting to be pleased."

Indeed. The guy finally converted to "wackonism". Roxas knew the blue-eyed brunette was still tired from his previous rounds, and despite his athletic abilities the guy wouldn't allow Sora to push himself so hard.

"As if Riku-bastard! If there's anyone who can destroy you it would be-"

"Me. I'll be your opponent in this round Riku." The Strife teen spoke up, cutting Sora off in the process. With an "I'll handle this, go rest up" look shot at him, the youngest male complied, opting instead to sit down and watch.

"Very well, my fellow DDR fan. I'd be honoured to accept your challenge."

The silver-haired teen condescendingly sauntered over to the machine, taking his stance after inserting a token into the game. He ushered Roxas to take his position as well before selecting the hardest song, Paranoia Dreams, the hardest level known in all of DDR history.

"Just so you know, Roxas - I won't go easy on you just 'cause your Sora's friend. I'm winning this no matter what." Riku scoffed, eyes trained on the screen, ready for action. He didn't know the background of Roxas' skills but he probably didn't need to, since he was a DDR master after all. Little did the silverette know that there were just others who were ultimately better than him, even at his specialty of Paranoia Dreams.

"...hn. There's no way I'm losing to you."

_There's only one person I'll ever lose to, and that's to Him..._

**~o~Present Time~o~**

...

_"Yosh! I win again, Roxas! Woohoo!"_

_"Hey, why the long face? Don't tell me you're sulking because you lost to me again! Okay okay ow ow ow ow ow ow I'm sorry I didn't mean it! Hey stop that, I'm telling on you if you hit me one more time!"_

_"Thanks a lot for always losing to me, Rox. You're always helping me out even though you don't like it. Hey, next time, won't you help me practice for the talent quest at school? I'll be showing off my dancing skills this time!"_

_..._

"No way! I CAN'T B-BELIEVE I L-LOST AGAIN! You're r-really something aren't you, Roxas?"

"...hn."

The silverette was finally down on the ground on all fours, trying to catch his breath after what seemed to be an intense marathon run. The girls who made their return two rounds ago were holding what seemed to be a folder of photos plus an addition of ice cream cones.

"Wow. Riku the DDR Master actually lost? Not such a "knight in shining armour" now, are ya?" Naminé commented, exchanging sapphire looks with her sister before the both of them started cracking up.

"Hey! How was I supposed to know Roxy here was an even better DDR player than I was? Oi! Stop laughing! And you call yourselves my best friends..."

The Twilight High student extended an arm out to his previous opponent, which the aquamarine-eyed teen gladly took and help himself up with. Clapping in the background was Sora, who was overjoyed at seeing his supposedly antisocial friend break out of his shell and have fun with the people he grew up with. Sure, Roxas' face was still plastered with the same austere expression he always wore, but no rush right? A little time and they'd all not be able to live without the other, just like how he'd feel if Riku, Kairi and Naminé were to ever separate ways from him.

For the rest of the day the five teens continuously ran around the game center, trying out every game there possibly was. The girls soon discovered a secret talent for ReaXion, beating the boys five-three as they versed each other on the game over and over again. Roxas and Sora teamed up together against Riku and Kairi on the infamous Radical Rally Racers, opting for the red Porsche instead of the yellow LaFerrari while Naminé cheered for them all in the background. Of course, there was the Deal or No Deal machine (which the silverette played solely to stare at the holographic girls holding one of each of the thirty cases), attempts at the whack-a-squirrel game and the Test Your Strength hammer contraption, some hyperactive rounds at table hockey before ending their experience with the dizzying 4D Motion Masters ride.

When they all went out for lunch at a nearby food court, Sora thought he almost saw the corners of the sunshine-haired teen's lips rise up for a millisecond. Riku was still sore about his DDR losses as the twins teased him repeatedly, earning themselves new nicknames of "old hag" and "twisted lass".

"Let's do this again sometime guys." the free-spirited boy called out, leaning on Roxas who was munching on his kebab silently. On Sora's lap sat a new extension to his growing plush toy collection: a yellow-furred bunny courtesy from the blonde male's winning tickets in DDR.

"Yeah!" concurred Riku. "But next time, I'm winning against you, blondie!"

Roxas merely nodded. "Okay. I look forward to it."

"Ooooh... this is so amazing... all of us being friends." Naminé whispered dreamily, nudging at her sister who was thinking the same thing.

"Hey, don't forget that sooner or later Sora will confess to Rox-mmph!"

"No no no no! Show's over Kairi, thank you very much goodbye." A panicked Sora dared to clamber over the table to shush his red-haired friend. The Twilight High student merely raised an eyebrow at his new group of friends, not understanding their weird antics at all.

Roxas could actually get used to this "friend" stuff. It was all so new, but it wasn't a _bad new_ at that. Who knows, maybe someday he'd be able to appreciate just what others called a "true friendship". Looking at Sora bicker with the twins and the older male made him feel relieved that he was surrounded by people who cared enough about him to want to see him smile like he used to once again.

Maybe... just maybe...

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~****o~o~o~o**

_"Hey Roxas, we'll always be together right?"_

_"..."_

_"Roxy~! Why aren't you answering me!?"_

_"Always, you big buffoon head, you. Now shut up."_

_"Awww... Hey! Watch the hair! It took me three hours to style this, you know!"_

_"Heh. You're becoming like me."_

_"I know..."_

_"..."_

**~o~**

_"I love you, Roxas."_

_"...hn."_

_"What, too man to say it back?"_

_"No."_

_"ILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOU mwa mwa mwa lemme give you a kiss~"_

_"Get away from me, you weirdo."_

_"You love me. I know you do..."_

_"Whatever."_

_"I love you, you love me, we're a happy family~"_

_"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love you too and you know that. You happy now?"_

_"Yup."_

_"Weirdo."_

_"Your weirdo."_

_"...hn."_

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Maybe he really could count on these people to help him out.

Who knows.

Time would just have to tell all tales.

* * *

**Yup. That was a little longer than usual, and it may take me a while to get the next one up. Why does assessment week have to be so sooooooon?! ****I hope that wasn't too shabby. Weirdo Riku was so fun to write...**

**I actually ended up liking this one compared to the many other drafts I've done. Let me know what zhu think! But for now, tata~!**

***exits towards the door to HomeworkVille"**


	4. He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

**Hazza! ChiiRyeeBiee here. Finally, Chapter Four of Smile A Little, Will Ya is knocking on your door! (I really don't understand what it is with me and these rhymes). Damn, these chapters are getting lengthier than ever. (I'm so sorryyy!)**

**Explanations, explanations. Err, this thing weaved itself into a chapter. I kind of don't get it. There were some things I just couldn't control (ohhh nooo) and the result is this piece you are about to read. In my opinion, it's alright. I'll leave that judgement to you, however! (-｡-;)**

**Now it is time for the ChiiRyeeBiee Disclaimer Interviews, with your host, myself! *applauds***

**Do you own Kingdom Hearts: I'm afraid not. *cries in a corner***

**Is this shounen ai: err... yes.**

**Describe the genres of this chapter: Oh you know, the usual. Fluff, über clichéd, TMD (Too Much Dialogue), death by chibis and weird, corny plot development. Oh, and fangirls. Overly obsessed fangirls. (Like myself?)**

**Anything else you have to say: Yep! Please please please find some mistakes for me to correct where appropriate! That and I hope you, my dear reader, would be so kind as to drop a teeny tiny review for moi to mull over. *salutes***

**And that is the end of the ChiiRyeeBiee Disclaimer Interviews. Thank you ladies and gentlemen, have a good night and I hope you all enjoy Smile A Little Will Ya Chapter Four! *more applause for self***

* * *

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Smile A Little, Will Ya?

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

~Chapter Four - He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not~

.

.

.

How to Make Roxas Smile by Sora Leonhart: A Tick-List of how to make my new friend happy! Part 3

_9) I don't know how one like Roxas can focus so much in class. It may get boring sometimes, right? When school comes again, maybe passing funny notes would do the trick!_

_10) That "special day" is coming soon! I can't wait to celebrate it with Roxas and everyone else!_

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

It was going to be a bad, _bad_ day.

That is, if one believed the presupposition made by the one and only Roxas Strife.

Waking up on the first day of Semester Two to the pitter-pattering of the rain against his bedroom window proved to be enough indication that it wasn't going to be an "okay" day. That and rolling off the edge of his bed, resulting in a loud _thud_ and the unwanted pain on his left limbs caused by the pressure of his weight. The fluffy green blanket he was cocooned into did not provide him enough cushioning from the fall and was difficult to wriggle out of in his sleepy state.

How embarrassing. It was a good thing he lived alone.

Despite this and the egg-less mini refrigerator he had to face on the day he desperately craved for omelettes, the blonde decided to go to school, if only to meet up with his hyperactive brunette friend and of course, to learn new things like school was supposed to be for. Cereal would have to do for him, and with the discombobulating absence of gel: a swift combing of the flaxen mop that was the blue-eyed teen's bed hair.

The holidays weren't that long in Roxas' opinion. His holiday homework was done and dusted before the second week came, regardless of his avoidance in joining Sora's little homework sessions in the library with his friends. All throughout the fortnight he ate whatever was accessible and easy to cook in the cupboard, slept as much as he wanted and read every single Glass of Ember novel from book one to book seven. Sora invited him over to his place several times, but the blonde claimed to be doing other things; not really wanting to be anymore of a killjoy to the azure-eyed boy. The arcade was fun yes, but being the introvert he was, there was no way he could go out every single day just to please the brunette's odd bunch of companions.

With a black umbrella at one hand and his suitcase at the other, the sunshine-haired teen left his home in silence — his foreign uniform still as immaculate as ever. He watched his leather shoes make subtle splashing ripples on the cemented walkway; the sound of rain drowning out his none-too-quiet footsteps. As he didn't live too far from the college, walking wasn't a problem for him. He still didn't know much about Destiny Village, but after three months of staying at the place, the blonde could manage his way around with the help of maps and googling directions.

_..._

_"Roxaaaas!"_

_..._

For a moment Roxas thought he could hear a distant calling of his name. There was no one in a thirty metre distance from him, and the only sign of life along the road he trudged on were a few birds tweeting in the trees and a car or two passing by. Maybe he was hearing things. Again. Like he always did nowadays. It was a high-pitched voice — an almost annoying shrill, considerably belonging to a female though he knew better. If he didn't deem it so familiar and meaningful to him, the cerulean-eyed boy would have ignored it, never even giving it a single thought.

A few turns here and there and he was finally on the corresponding road to his school. Finally. The Twilight High student was shivering; he still wasn't used to the coming of this extremely cold climate. Maybe he should have taken the bus. The bus stop was only a few metres from his address, but then again, he was too self conscious to be scrutinized critically by a multitude of questioning orbs. Roxas was better off alone, _thank you very much,_ even if he had to choose the rain and the cold over a crowded albeit warm and cozy shelter.

"Roxaaaaaaaaaaaas!"

Okay, he was definitely sure he heard THAT voice. Looking around yet again the cerulean-eyed boy was met with the microscopic image of a waving classmate approximately two hundred metres in front of him. Beside said classmate stood two girls each holding out their own umbrellas; an infamous silver-haired male following close behind.

Tch.

Expect Sora to make such a lively _entrance _even at the bitterest of days.

He stood his ground, idle, and waited for the brunette to approach him instead of walking over and risking to get the hem of his pants more drenched than they should be. Soon enough, Sora was standing next to him, panting for having ran the long distance. Riku, Kairi and Naminé had said their goodbyes before he took off to meet up with the Twilight High student and made their way without him towards the entrance of Destiny College.

"Heeeeey! How's it going? Did you miss the bus this morning or something?" The brunette pointed out, still smiling for goodness sake as if his life depended on it. Same old, same old really. Sora would grin away unceasingly after saying something, and Roxas would _"hn"_ back in response like he did just then.

"You're drenched. You didn't have to run here, you know. You wouldn't want to get sick now that winter's just months away." claimed the blonde, scooting closer to his friend to shade them both with the rather large umbrella. Giving his suitcase to Sora for a moment, he took out his trusty handkerchief and attempted to towel off the younger's now gravity-adhering, wet chocolate hair.

"Thanks. Hehe. I'll be fine, so don't worry anymore, 'kay? Lived here all my life — I'm used to the unpredictable weather. Twilight Town must always be sunny, huh?"

Roxas nodded, gently ushering the brunette to get a move on. "Yeah. Something like that. Come on, let's get out of here so you can get changed."

The rain was slowly stopping to a light drizzle. Soon enough the two eleventh graders decided to head towards the entrance of their school together, seeking shelter and warmth from the bitter weather.

**~o~**

"Hey Roxas, I didn't know you walked to school. Had I known I would have called you so you wouldn't be going alone!" The azure-eyed boy just realized this fact minutes before walking into their homeroom together. He apparently had a spare set of his uniform in his bag ("...for times like this, I always have to have one, especially since I play sports", Sora mentioned) and changed out of his wet ones in the boy's bathroom. The two were relatively early but a few of their classmates could already be seen scattered around the classroom, chatting about what they did in the holidays and the like.

"Hn..."

"Next time, we'll walk home together, okay? Even if we have to walk along just one road! You up for it?"

"...Sure. Wouldn't hurt I guess."

The chocolate-haired boy beamed at his acceptance, flashing him another gesture of happiness before looking around the classroom for his three best friends. Riku, Kairi and Naminé were suspended on seats surrounding the large window overlooking the performing arts building. The blonde girl caught sight of them and waved, humbly smiling at their arrival.

Roxas left Sora for a while to gather the equipment he needed for first and second period. There was really nothing he could say to the four at the very moment so he remained seated at his desk, pulling out another novel he didn't quite finish reading last night. As the minutes passed by, more and more students filtered inside their homeroom, giggling about some concert they went to or loudly proclaiming their amazing achievements in some first person shooter game they played.

So far, nothing terribly awful was happening. He was just surrounded by noisy, yammering classmates who seemed to have way too much energy on this cold, rainy, _gloomy_ first day back to school. But then, things just had to go oh-so-terribly wrong. Not in the sense that one would expect, but it did dampen his mood a little, and Roxas did not know why.

The familiar voice of Sora was not unheard of to the blonde as the class favourite started chatting up some of the girls assembled at the front of the science lab. One of them wasn't feeling very well, and Roxas witnessed from the top of his book Sora taking her delicate form into his arms. The brunette brushed a hand through her beautiful black hair, whispering words of comfort along the lines of, _"it's okay"_ and _"don't worry, I'm here for you, so don't cry anymore"_. She looked up at him and smiled a sunlight, kissing his cheek as a sign of appreciation for taking the time to care.

"Thanks for always being there for us, Sora." Roxas heard them swoon at his bubbly "welcome" in return.

"Yeah! You're so cool, Sora! Everyone wants to be you!"

"Nuh-uh, everybody wants to be WITH him, you mean?"

"Can we have hugs, Sora? It's really cold today..."

"Uhhuh! We just love having you around!"

The aforementioned Destiny College student meekly agreed, blithely collecting every squealing girl into a large group hug. Roxas failed to notice the unintentional violent grip he had on his book as he continued to watch the scene in front of him.

"I'll always be here for everyone, okay? Just come to me! I want to make you all smile!" He affirmed, the chorus of squeals increasing in audibility. "You're all special to me, so don't be sad anymore okay?"

Unbeknown to all and even to himself, the frail heart of an emotionless boy had shattered into a million pieces.

...what was this heavy and awful feeling the sunshine-haired teen could feel lingering somewhere deep in his chest? Could it be... _no_, he couldn't possibly be. As if he was actually! _Hah!_ There was just no way _that_ could ever happen!

But then his thoughts drifted back to the scene he just sighted and _why oh why_ was he feeling slightly unhappy about it? It wasn't as if Sora valued him among all the others. He was a class favourite! It was in the guy's personality to make others happy, and "others" were not restricted to just "him". The guy had a right to make others smile, and hell, if it weren't for Sora worming his way into his antisocial life then Roxas wouldn't even care about the previous incident at all.

"Are ya jealous, Roxy?" A male voice from behind him drawled mockingly. He didn't have to turn around to know it was the arrogant silverette friend of Sora's, calling himself the boy's "best friend" yet acting like a complete jerk to him.

"Sorry, I forgot what your name was. _Who are you,_ again?" Roxas bit back, eyes quickly darting across the words of his novel. The teen had the gall to gasp in an offended manner, but quickly recovered with another tiresome retort.

"Why, I never knew a know-it-all like you had such a limited long-term memory. But anyway, that wasn't what I bothered to come here for. Nam thinks I should start getting to know Sor's future love a little better, so I'm doing just that."

Riku took the chair from the desk next to Roxas' and sat backwards around it. Roxas was still plain ignoring him. For a guy who was good at DDR and an open antisocial nerd, what did his best friend see in him?

Roxas merely rolled his eyes at the sardonic comment, preferring to attend to more important things; namely, the scene in front of him. Aquamarine and cerulean simultaneously travelled to where Sora was still being glomped by his clingy fangirls. The brunette was down on the ground laughing while they pushed at each other, competing to be the one to help him up by the hand.

"He's always like that in class, you know." A second voice joined the quiet duo, settling herself to the stoic teen's right. Her golden hair was tied up today, making her look more mature. "Cheering people up was always Sora's thing; even from childhood. But he's never been happier than when he's around you, Roxas, so don't take it personally."

Heh. If Sora was the selfless kind, then let it be known that it was in Roxas' personality to be a tad bit selfish when it came to sharing people he cared about. And being the introvert he was, he had very few that were worth caring about. Not that he cared about Sora that much to be feeling_ "jealous" _as phrased by Riku, but he was still just beginning to open up to the boy for understanding him, for bothering to befriend him and for putting up with his coldness for the past three or so months.

Was Sora trying to make him smile because he was obliged to, not because he actually cared about Roxas? He knew wasn't special, oh no. He was just another charity case the brunette had to attend to. It kind of hurt to think about, to be honest. Not that there was anything wrong with doing good deeds for others, but it still hurt.

"Hn. I don't care. He can do whatever he wants. It's his life." The Twilight High student nonchalantly said. Let them think what they think. Without having known the boy for a long time, he could tell that Sora had always been the happy-go-lucky soul he was. If he never moved from Twilight Town, they wouldn't even know each other. This place was Sora's world, and there was no way he could take claim over it or dictate to the brunette what he could or could not do.

Tch. Another reason why being antisocial was good according to the blonde; you needn't worry about losing the ones that you cared about or watching them drift away like a petal in the wind.

_'Just like how He drifted away...'_

"Talk about denial." Riku huffed, crossing his arms around the back of the chair. "Both of you, seriously. Pretending you don't care about the other. _Idiots!_ Oh whatever, I'm leaving for the bathroom." He stood up, returning the chair to its respective desk.

"I swear, Roxas, if you hurt little Sor, _I'll murder you._" The silverette hissed before walking off. Naminé chuckled to herself, knowing fully how hypocritical the aquamarine-eyed teen's previous statement was. Roxas settled for another one of his hnn's, a little annoyed at being interrupted from some quiet reading time to be mocked and threatened. What else could possibly go wrong today? Tripping over that annoying ledge towards his ICT class? The library being closed for the whole day? Some first day he was having, really.

"Sora reminds you of someone, I'm guessing." Naminé spoke up again, excusing Roxas from his reverie. He eyed her suspiciously for knowing such a personal thing about him that he'd never talked about with anyone. But then again, she was just that perceptive.

"Hn." Roxas-speak for _"go on"_; consenting the girl to explain what she meant.

"You look at him differently." She began. "Like you want to protect him, because you weren't able to do so before. Whoever the other person was, I'm really sorry. I know you'll be able to protect Sora this time."

_..._

_"Roxaaaaas!"_

_"Who in the_—_ oi! How did YOU __even get here?! I locked the door!"_

_"Well duh, I pick-locked it, what else? I need your heeeelp! Which shirt looks better, the red or the blue?"_

_"I'm kinda doing something at the moment, you know. I can't see you."_

_"Come on, you just have to suggest something! That can wait a while longer!"_

_"Tch, fine. The red one."_

_"You didn't even check it out!"_

_"You said to suggest something. I say red. What's this for, again?"_

_"I'm gonna be seeing a movie with my friends. I needed some advice."_

_"And you bothered to break into my room for that?"_

_"Yep! You know what, I think the blue looks better. Okaayyy, gotta go now! Tata!"_

_"Weirdo."_

_..._

_In the photos Roxas saw Him took of His dayout, He ended up wearing the red one after all._

With those words, the girl left Roxas pondering to find her twin sister. He could barely make out the ear-shattering shrieks thrown around the classroom before the cerulean-eyed boy stood up abruptly, intent on leaving. Bumping into his teacher on the way caused freshly made coffee to spill all over his uniform, burning his skin slightly for its hot temperature.

Nope. It was definitely, _definitely_ not a good day today.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

"Do you guys know where Roxas is?" Sora said to his friends at lunchtime of the next day. It wasn't until the group of girls dispersed into their proper seats that morning did he notice that the blonde was nowhere to be seen. A questioning look shot at his three best friends earn him confused, shaking heads in reply; they left the classroom before they witnessed Roxas' disappearance. Safe to say, Sora didn't see Roxas again for the rest of the day. The guy wasn't even in the library, and when he asked the office lady if the cerulean-eyed boy had gone home, she pointed out that Roxas had attended all his classes for the day.

"I don't know, bro. Maybe he decided to stay home forever after seeing you interact with those girls." Riku harrumphed, swinging a spoon around as he droned on.

"You don't think he's avoiding you, do you?" The red-haired girl inquired. Sora originally thought of it, but hearing the fact from another person's mouth made the brunette feel even more awful.

"I've tried looking for him in school yesterday and today, but I couldn't find him anywhere! I called him on his phone several times with no luck of him answering, and we haven't had classes together since then so I didn't know if he was really at school. He wasn't in homeroom this morning, but all his teachers said he never missed a class."

"Heh. Like a know-it-all like Roxas would be caught wagging."

"_Riku!_" Naminé eyed the silverette with hostility, disapproving of his incivility at a time of their friend's distress.

"I don't know what I did to him, Kai! All I remember was I left him alone for a while at homeroom and then he was _gone!_" The sixteen year old panicked, pulling at his chocolate hair out of worry. Naminé who was sitting next to him scooched over to give him a comfort hug. She had known the boy long enough to know that he rarely got as afflicted as he was at the moment. She hoped Roxas had a good enough reason to disappear and make Sora feel this way - her best friend cared deeply for the blonde and making him worry like this was just another telltale for Sora's not-so-hidden feelings for him.

"He's probably just busy, Sor. You have English with him this afternoon, right? Maybe you could talk to him there." Naminé suggested. Sora nodded against her embrace.

"Yeah."

Riku shrugged. "Roxas is probably male-PMSing. He's being a moody bastard as always and he doesn't want you around to see it." The three looked at him incredulously for the satirical comment.

"What are you looking at me like that for now?"

Kairi rolled her sapphire orbs at the eldest male before beginning with her motherly lecture voice. "As peculiar as that statement was, Riku could actually be right. But the best thing to do now is to talk to him, love. You had something planned on your list, right?"

"Umm, yeah."

"Use that for now. Just make sure you don't get caught by the teacher. Mr Ienzo is not the best person to deal with when it comes to worming your way out of detention."

Sora pursed his lips into a weak smile. He really appreciated having friends who supported him through thick and thin. Lately he'd been the one always asking for help, and he was grateful for their advice and time for him. He really wanted to make Roxas happy, and it proved to be a tough challenge. But he wasn't backing down, no way. It would have to be snowing in hell when he'd give up on this goal of his. He cared about Roxas, and returning the boy's smile was something he desperately wished to do to show how much Roxas meant to him.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

**Commencing Phase Nine: Sticky Notes and Anecdotes, with a touch of Chibi Clipart!**

Sooner or later, Sora thought, Roxas would come through that front door and sit down next to him before their English lesson began. Most of his classmates were already copying down the notes written on the whiteboard while he anxiously waited for his friend's arrival. Roxas wouldn't dare skip this class they shared together just to avoid Sora, right?_ If he was avoiding Sora..._ Physical Education was last period, and they shared that class as well. Did the blonde go home already?

Mr Ienzo was about to close the door, an indication that their lesson was soon to start. Once that door was closed, there was no going in, neither was there any going out. Whoever was in class would be marked present, and whoever was not would be given a detention regardless of reason.

Where. Was. Roxas?!

As if on cue, the azure-eyed boy caught sight of the blonde squeezing through the half-shut classroom door. Mr Ienzo shot him a warning glare, but Roxas was unfazed and shot a glare of his own. A pale hand extended to present his teacher a neatly folded piece of paper, which the man skimmed through and nodded his approval.

Sora let out a breath he was unaware of holding in the first place. Roxas made it. He was here. And he was going to sit next to him and talk about what's been going on lately and then everything would be alright. Sora could try to initiate his next plan like Kairi and Naminé suggested, and if things go as he wanted them to, the boys could make up and be friends again; maybe even steal a smile or two from the emotionally stoic cerulean-eyed boy.

"Roxas!" The class clown hissed at his friend once the guy was seated next to him at the near back of the classroom. If Roxas had heard it he did a good job convincing Sora that he hadn't by completely ignoring him afterwards.

"Roxas, talk to me!" More of the silent treatment as the sunshine-haired teen swiftly got out his English folder and started writing.

"Roxassssss! Roxas! Rox! Oi! Psst! Earth to Roxas,_ can you hear me?_"

The sound of the classroom door shutting echoed throughout the four-walled room. Another rule in Mr Ienzo's class was when the classroom door had finally closed, there was to be no talking at ALL lest one wanted to risk seeing the principal for disruptive behaviour.

Things were not going the way Sora wanted them to, he was sure about that.

Resorting to the only thing he could think of as their blue-haired teacher began to speak about language techniques in_ The Impossible Life,_ the brunette pulled out a sticky note pad from his bag and started jotting down his thoughts on the purple square. He stuck the note next to Roxas' folder, receiving a wondering gaze from cerulean orbs before he too started copying down the English notes.

_S: Why are you ignoring me, Roxas?_

The Twilight High student shook his head once before reaching out for the sticky note pad, scrawling his response.

_R: I'm not ignoring you. It's class time. Pay attention_.

Sora was adamant in finding out what was up with his friend. He risked another note, more demanding this time.

_S: Tell me. Did I do something wrong? Was it because I left you alone in homeroom?_

_R: No. Pay attention, Sora._

_S: I'm not going to until you tell me why you're avoiding me!_

The blonde knew the younger boy was the stubborn kind. There was no getting around this situation, but what was he supposed to say? _Yesterday really sucked, and he wanted to brood about it without being criticized or forced to smile?_ It sounded silly, but it was the truth. Though he'd never ever admit that, oh no. It was hardly a reputable achievement he wanted the world to know.

_R: I am not avoiding you. I just had some things to do._

_S: But you weren't in homeroom and you wouldn't answer my texts and calls! I couldn't find you at our table or in the library either!_

_R: Exactly. I was busy._

_Heh, _Roxas inwardly mocked himself_. Yeah right. Busy brooding about life._

_S: Okay... But whatever it is I did, I'm really sorry. Please don't hate me, Roxas. *insert chibi sad face*_ ( ；´Д｀)

If he didn't feel guilty for lying then, then Roxas should feel guilty for earning an apology that Sora didn't have to make. Why. Was. Sora. Way. Too. Nice. For. His. Own. Good? He sat there in the midst of his English lesson, blue pen at hand, contemplating about the things he regretted over his sixteen years of living. Failing to show Him he loved Him. Leaving his mother for a new start. Lying to Sora about his brooding habit. God, he was an _awful _person.

_R: Don't be sorry, Sora. You did nothing wrong. I'm sorry for not telling you. And I don't hate you, so there. Now pay attention. *insert chibi Roxas lecturing chibi Sora* _( -_-)／(^-^ )

_S: WOW! You're really good at drawing, Roxas! That's so cute! Aww, is that me? I look so small!_

_R: That's because you are small. *insert chibi Sora being compared to a meter ruler* _(^-^; ) |

_S: Hey! I'm not THAT short!_

_R: Tell me that when you're finally taller than me._

_S: Fine, I will! Just you wait! I'll be three heads taller than you!_

_R: Hmm, yes. That visual would be most appealing. *insert chibi Sora growing three heads*_ Oo｡.（´-`）（´-`）（´-`）.｡oO

_S: Okay, tell me why you didn't take art again?_

_R: Hn._

_S: You're seriously hnn'ing even in here?_

_R: Yes. Now pay attention lest you want our emo teacher to notice your inattentiveness. *insert angry chibi Mr Ienzo*_ (￣-￣)ゞ

The brunette had to hide a snicker at the "emo teacher" statement accompanied with the cranky-looking drawing on the sticky note his classmate stuck at the top most left of his desk. Luckily everyone else was absorbed in the lesson, and the teacher in question had his back turned as he wrote more notes on the whiteboard.

_S: Is that seriously what you think of Mr Ienzo? An emo teacher?_

_R: What? Free world. I can call him whatever I want in my mind._

_S: Haha. In that case, emo teacher he is. But out of the topic of emo teachers, I swear, you are really good at art! You should have taken it with meeeee! We're working on negative and positive spaces right now and do lots of practical work._

_R: It's a hidden talent I don't think of developing._

_S: I even painted myself once! I looked very "masculine", according to some girls in my class._

_R: So now you're masculine and three-headed? *insert chibi Sora and his three heads looking at non-existent, so-buff-it-looks-disgusting muscles* _ε=OoO(｀ω´ )(｀ω´ )(｀ω´ )OoO=3 _I can't say I ever knew this._

_S: You're sounding like Riku-bastard, you know. Have you been hanging out with him too much?_

_R: Hn. You know I was kidding around. Now pay attention to class._

_S: Says you! There you go with your hnn's again!_

_R: You're just reading them in a negative tone, Sora. That's why you don't like them._

_S: *insert chibi Sora trying to imagine different sounds of "hnn"*_ (^_^;)? _Nope, it's not working at the moment._

_R: You weirdo._

_S: Not as weird as you not taking art when you're clearly cut out for it!_

Roxas was secretly having fun with this note passing thing they were doing. He didn't think much of it before since there was noone he could talk to in class, but then there was Sora, turning his world upside down by changing his pessimistic attitude towards people little by little. He liked the way the boy could turn something sad into a fruitful situation — he was always looking at the brighter side of the moon. Just like He did, in every way. They were complete opposites. Roxas couldn't find himself ever hating the annoying, way-too-nice, smiley class clown.

_S: Hey Roxas, have you heard of The Nobody Show? It's not very popular amongst all television series, but it's a really funny comedy!_

_R: Yeah. I watch it when I have nothing better to do. I still remember their first episode._

_S: Really? Another Nobody fan! *insert happy chibi Sora*_ ＼(^▽^)／_ Yuss! I thought it was just me! But anyway, don't you think Mr Ienzo looks so much like Zexion?_

_R: *insert chibi Mr Ienzo/chibi Zexion comparison* _(-_-) = {(-_-)}_ I'm positive they're the same person._

_S: Woah! So you think Mr Ienzo is actually acting out Zexion in his free time? That's kinda...weird._

_R: Possibly. Those last two quotes he mentioned are important. Better jot them down._

_S: Sure thing! So, who's your favourite Nobody?_

_R: I dunno. Zexion I guess. He's just quiet and he likes books like me. *insert majestic chibi Zexion ruling all Nobodies*_ {(-_-)} = #1

_S: No wonder you're still paying attention to Mr Ienzo right now._

_R: What are you implying? *insert questioning chibi Roxas* _'(ｰ ｰ;)?

_S: Nothing! Anyway, I like Demyx! He's funny, lazy, knows how to have fun but always gets into trouble._

_R: Reminds you of yourself? *insert chibi Demyx/chibi Sora comparison*_ (^-^) ＝ \\(^｡^)/

_S: Hey, I'm not that much of a troublemaker!_

_R: You won't be if you pay more attention to the lesson._

_S: But novel studies is boooooring! How do you live through it?_

_R: That's like asking how I survive going through school._

_S: Killjoy._

_R: Just doing my job, Sora. Don't blame me if you get in trouble. *reinsert chibi Roxas lecturing chibi Sora*_ ( -_-)／(^-^ )

_S: So... are we friends now?_

_R: *insert emotionless chibi Roxas*_ (￣ー￣) _Who said we stopped being friends? I apologize if you thought I was ignoring you. Here, something to make up for. We can eat that sea-salt ice cream you like after school as well. My treat. *insert chibi Roxas giving chibi Sora a hug*_ (ノ¬_¬)ノ(^▽^)

_S: Yeyy! A Roxas Hug! *feeling warm and happy* You never hug me back when I hug you, so that makes me so glad! I'm keeping this sticky note on my bedroom wall. *insert chibi Sora glomping chibi Roxas*_ (- . -)∑(ﾟДﾟ) ❤❤❤_ I'm up for your treat, too! Everyone thinks you're all serious and stuff but you're just a closet softie. Hehehe~_

_R: Don't tell the world that, you goon. I prefer to live a quiet life, thank you very much._

The coming of the bell marked the end of their period, which their classmates took as the sign to start packing up and heading to their final class. The two boys were inevitably the last ones to leave as the brunette rushed through copying down their homework and collecting the many notes around their desks.

"You finished copying yet?" Roxas said, packing up Sora's things for him.

"Nooooo! We're gonna be so late in PE! Mr Cid will hate us!"

"I'll send you a picture of my notes. Come on, let's go now."

"Err, okay then. Thanks so much, Roxas!" The azure-eyed boy cried, hugging his friend from behind.

"Yeah, yeah."

Mr Ienzo watched the boys leave his class none-too-silently. A strong gust of wind from the open window blew through his dark blue hair and some of the papers he was currently marking.

"Youngins." He shook his head, reminiscing of his younger days as well. "Constantly guiding them, I see. I don't know you, but if I were you, I'd be rest assured that he's in safe hands. Go home now, child." He voiced to the breeze, noting the way it calmed as his hair stilled that afternoon.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

**Commencing Phase Ten: How To Confess Your Love! Aishiteru yo!**

Twelve-thirty in the morning and Sora was still up trying to finish up his plans for the "big day". It was a traditional Destiny College event that he himself initiated, so ultimately he was in charge of coordinating the event altogether. For the whole week he'd been running around the school gathering the student council for a meeting regarding the stalls he wanted to be set up. Now Sora wasn't much of a perfectionist, but he was inclined to dedicate many hours arranging his plans for tomorrow's event as he foresaw the day lighting up in fireworks by the time the school bell rang for hometime.

Several stacks of pink, red and white paper sat scattered on his desk as he finalized what he thought was the most important part of tomorrow. Everyone would be celebrating this day with him, and even the most boring of teachers found joy in jubilating the special day he put together. Being a new student, Roxas would have no idea about Destiny College's tradition come May the first, making the whole day a surprise for the blonde. He was super excited. Maybe this time the older boy would find reason to smile, knowing he was surrounded by so many wonderful people and of course, himself.

Before finally hitting the hay, Sora decided to go through his to-do checklist to ensure everything he needed to finish was completed. Collect bags of food to drop off in charity for tomorrow, _check_. Meet up with the student council again, _check. _Bag everything relative to tomorrow's event,_ check. _Complete "The Roxas Project", _check. _Don't forget to wash PE gear - oh yes, he definitely had to chuck that in the dryer. All was set, really. What was left for him to do was get a good night's sleep and hopefully the day would unfold itself into fluffy clouds and rainbows and a multitude of smiling faces.

**~o~**

"I love you, Zack."

"No, I love _youuuu!_"

"Hey guys, I'm really gonna do it today! I'm gonna tell Yuna that I love her!"

"I'm thinking of calling my grandma today. Just tell her I love her, y'know?"

"Hey Miss Aqua! Here's some chocolates for you! We love you so, so much!"

_Three words. _Three clichéd words that were suspiciously incorporated in every person's conversation as a particular Twilight High student made his way towards his homeroom. It didn't take a genius to figure out that there was something off about today, seeing the many crepe-like streamers of girly colours hanging around the halls and the quizzical love note taped on his desk (which as far as he knew, wasn't especially for him as similar notes were all over everyone's desk in homeroom).

He remembered waking up groggily and reading that today was May the first. It certainly wasn't Valentine's Day, nor did any bells ring in his head for any special dates on May the first. _Must be a Destiny College thing_, he thought, sitting down on his desk as he waited for first period to come. Little did he know that there were no classes on this very eventful day...

The irritating sound of uncontrollable squealing echoed even around the walls of the science lab. Gradually it increased in volume, almost deafening Roxas' ears if not for the fact he was wearing ear muffs. Turning around he saw Sora stumbling in the classroom, followed by the foreign species known as females who caused the herding cry.

"SORAAAAA! WE LOVE YOUUUU SOOO MUCHHH!"

"MARRY MEEE!"

"No, meee!"

"Meee!"

"Don't even think about it guys, he's MINE!"

"Take my letter, Sora, TAKE IT!"

"Kyaaaaaaa! Sora touched my hand! I think I'm gonna die..."

"NOOO! I will die! _Till death do us part_, Sora!"

"WE LOVE YOUUUU!"

If he wasn't keeping up an impassive front, Roxas would have gawped in disgust at the girls who were currently being obstacles to his classmates who wanted to enter their homeroom. The class favourite (Hah! More like _school_ favourite!) gave the blonde an apologetic look before he shooed them all away with hugs and returned "I love you"s.

"Do I even want to know why the entire female population is after you? What's up with people today?" said Roxas, shaking his head in disbelief.

The brunette gave him one of his I'm-innocent-and-had-nothing-do-with-it looks. "It's a special day at Destiny College today, so everyone's in a festive mood."

"Festive as in, _clingy?_"

Sora chuckled. "Well, you see, we celebrate something we call the "I Love You" day." He explained. "They're just words, but sometimes you'll find that words can make a difference. And before you say,_ "There's Valentines Day for that"_, let me finish my explanation. We have no classes today in order to participate in little activities to help out the less fortunate and the orphans — you know, those who don't have anyone to tell them those words and let them know that there are some people who care. On top of the whole confession thing going on, of course."

Roxas had no words. It was such a _Sora thing_ to do, and he couldn't even believe that the boy standing in front of him, the boy who bothered to befriend him in the first place, had all this... care and selflessness for those who had nothing; those who would positively think against doing the same for him. Comparing all the "great things" he's ever done in his past sixteen years wouldn't even measure up to amount of generosity Sora had. It suddenly made him feel small standing next to the azure-eyed boy.

"I take it you had everything to do with this... Ugh, I don't understand how you can touch so many hearts who would never do the same for you."

The boy grinned from ear to ear. "It's not really about getting anything in return for me. The wind once told me that I should care about people no matter what, so I did. Now come on!" the eleventh grader exclaimed, pulling at the other teen's hand to drag him outside and into the courtyard. "Activities start at first period, and **You. Are. Going. To. Love. Them!**"

**~o~**

_Activity One: The "Write a Card For Someone" Hour._

_Students are to write encouraging words on the provided blank cards, varying from words of advice, drawings, or compliments of their choice. Students can write as many as they want. At the end of the hour the cards will be collected and distributed to orphans and those who are less fortunate than ourselves._

It would be an understatement to say that every Destiny College student got involved in the first hour of their beloved "I Love You" day. Everyone, from the ninth to the twelfth grade, was positively beaming at the thought of making someone's day, getting their hands dirty with pastels and pen smudges and pencil shavings. Even Riku was into the whole selflessness project, betting to some guy named Vanitas that he would make more cards than him. Sora on the other hand took time on his cards, tapping a blue pen to his lips everytime he was in the process of thinking of a new thing to say.

Roxas, being the not-so-selfless person he was, had absolutely NO IDEA what to do. What compliment could one say to someone they never knew? It wasn't the sixteen year old's forte to be all flashy and nice to others, but trust his azure-eyed friend to make him do such a thing.

"Roxas. If you need help, think of a special someone you care about." Naminé from across him said, not even looking up from the drawing she was doing. Kairi beside her was scrawling neat, practiced lines around the border of the card, following with the illustration of a love heart in the middle.

All of a sudden, the brunette scooted closer to the cerulean-eyed boy, their sides touching shyly. A brown mess of hair then found its way on Roxas' left shoulder. Looking up with a smile, their eyes communicatively met before the free-spirited boy returned his attention to the umpteenth card he was making. Roxas just hnn'ed, not even noticing the many judging pairs of eyes from everyone around them as he turned to the task at hand.

_Someone he cared about, huh._ If He was receiving this thing, what could he write? Many, many possibilities for sure, beginning with the words, "I'm sorry." Safe to say, the blonde was so focused on finishing his card that he didn't realize how fast the hour went.

_..._

_Everyday, I think of you  
And how it would be to  
see you again,  
But I know it's impossible  
even if  
I decide to wish on the brightest stars.  
They'd never be bright enough  
to compare to your light._

_What could I say to someone  
whom I dearly loved with all my heart  
Who was there for me  
all my days, even when  
We fought about the silliest things?_

_There would be no words;  
Only actions to show you  
How much I love you  
And how ridiculous I've been  
To wish upon those stars in hopes  
To give me back the one  
Who was always there_

_Here, in the heart that I've shared  
With noone else  
But you_

_..._

**~o~**

_Activity Two: The Destiny College Oath Game!_

_Students are to line up in front of the tables set up by the student council and pick a random paper in the box. On the paper will be a written request you have to promise to do! Feel free to participate as many times as you want! A random act of kindness for someone will be enough to make their day!_

The teachers were having fun cooperating in this simple yet interesting game. Some received requests along the lines of, _"hug everyone in every class you have for a day"_ or _"help someone in their homework for a week"_, while others had a far more variated request. Cat-calls and aww's could be heard all over the school when their principal, Miss Aqua, was wooed through song by none other than the school counsellor, Mr Terra.

Riku had to give half of his savings to someone poor on the streets, much to his annoyance. Kairi thankfully had to treat her only sister to a lunch-out, while Naminé promised to drop by the closest kindergarten and supervise one of the coordinators for a day. When it was the cerulean-eyed teen's turn to pick a request, he mentally prayed not to receive something that was impossible to do.

_"Call your mother and tell her how much she means to you right now"_

A sigh of relief yet a slight panicked hesitance washed over the blonde's form. He hadn't told his mother how much he cared for her in a while. He even left her in Twilight Town, poor soul she was, worrying about his state every five minutes as shown through her insistent nightly phone calls. She didn't want to leave her home, and he needed to get away for a while. She understood his need to fly the nest but a mother would never stop worrying anyway.

Sora watched the sunshine-haired teen step aside from the line, fishing out his cell from his pocket and calling the someone he thought Roxas was calling. Ahh. So he received the "call your mother" request. It took many suggestions from his mother and father to be able to complete everything he had in store for this special Destiny College event. He'd been observing the older boy the whole day and he was proud of the way the Twilight High student willingly cooperated in their school's tradition.

"Mother. Hello. Err, umm, just calling from school to tell you how much I love you... And that I'm thankful for your understanding, making me move here, and never failing to care for me like you do. I will always be grateful for your love, Mother. Aww, Mother please don't — yes, I absolutely will come back at the end of the year. I'm okay. It's a school thing, sorry. Yes. I love you, Mother. You know I always have. And I'm sorry — _yes,_ yes, I will. Okay. Err, yeah, I say hello back. I gotta go now. Bye."

Sora looked down at the paper between his hands, a request he didn't write himself but was rather a contribution from the student council. He giggled at the uncanny coincidence etched in neat handwriting. Deep blue orbs soon noted the way his newfound friend brought a hand to his face, as if trying to wipe a falling tear. He wanted to run and comfort him, but some of the ninth graders were tugging on his shirt from behind him and asking if he could be their volunteer for their request.

_All will be fine for the older boy this afternoon,_ he hoped. Thinking back to what he had for the guy at their free hour made Sora's heart bubble up in joy, and he secretly wished that Roxas would learn a thing or two about making others smile. They say if you want to be happy, making others happy is the best way to do it. The chocolate-haired boy didn't particularly believe in this sentiment, but he would gladly do whatever it takes to help his friend find the happiness he wanted.

The piece of paper he held was soon blown from his hands by the wind, carried along so gently along with the maple leaves scattered around the school. It flew past the English building, past the school's office and the carpark — far, far, far away until it landed somewhere in the water of Destiny Village's local beach. A promise, a given word, a sacrifice to be fulfilled. Blue words smudged across the paper before it sank to the bottom of the sea, covered in sand and shells to be preserved forever.

_"Change someone's life for the better and smile for someone who needs your light the most"_

**~o~**

_Activity Three: The "Buy What You Need" Store!_

_Now this one's something everyone would be glad to do! There will be stalls all over the school selling all kinds of different things: bracelets, bags, wooden frames, paintings, food - things thoughtfully made by the technology and art classes! Be kind enough to donate your money to a good cause!_

The azure-eyed boy insisted to be responsible for the food stalls, typical food-lover he was. His food technology class opted for spaghetti dishes which were distributed in styrofoam plates throughout the whole school. Laughter and merriment could be heard from afar as students from all ages compared keychains and paintings, goodluck charms and stickers. Some, particularly the members of the student council, were ecstatic about the amount of money they were raising to give to those who desperately need it.

Riku, Naminé and Kairi were glad to relieve their youngest best friend for a break. The free-spirited boy had been running around the courtyard all day, volunteering for others and gathering up the equipment pertaining to each activity. The three were finished with their miscellaneous shopping (the girls) and pasta binge eating (Riku) and so they were free to assist Sora in his upcoming tasks.

After his shift, Sora trekked the whole school to find none other than his sunshine-haired friend. Roxas situated himself on their table, eating his beloved spaghetti whilst reading some fantasy novel.

"Hey." He said, approaching the boy and plopping himself next to him.

"Hi. Finally free, huh?"

Sora nodded, taking out his own pasta-based lunch. "It's fun being busy to help others. How are you finding the day?"

"Hn. It's not my thing, but it's alright, I guess. I've never done something so..."

"So _not you?_" The brunette finished for him. "You've even withdrawed to the usual spot. Too much people in one place, I guess?"

"Yeah. It's definitely _you_, however. I can taste your recipe all over this spaghetti." The blonde shut his book and turned to face Sora.

"Heehee~ You're right though. It's something I really wanna do. Maybe in the future, I'd help out charities and fundraise for things on top of going into professional hockey. Which reminds me, you've never watched me play yet, right? I'm quite good." He boasted, fistpumping with the hand that held his spag-filled fork. Roxas affectionately ruffled his chocolate mop of hair, earning himself a Sora-squeak in return.

"I'm sure you're good at everything, Sora. Except being cold or depressed or selfish; whatever I've been doing the past sixteen years. We're total opposites, I swear. How do we even get along?"

The younger boy shrugged. "You know what they say. Opposites attract. But hey, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself! I've got flaws just as much as everyone else, and there are things you can do that I can't. Namely, you can draw better chibis than me."

"And you have a bottomless pit of a stomach." Roxas mentioned, stealing some of the blue-eyed brunette's lunch.

"Heeeeeyyy! That was _mine!_"

"Not anymore. I'm doing you a favour since lunch is almost over."

"You meanie, Roxas!" Sora mumbled, but in truth he really didn't think so. The two eleventh graders shared the leftover spaghetti, heading over to the courtyard together once they were finished. The place was even more pink and red than ever, and there were new stalls all next to each other in a semicircular format. The day, Roxas knew, was peaking to what he figured was the most important and valued part of their special event.

"Here. This is for you, Roxas. A lucky charm from me." Sora said, holding out a small heart-shaped lock keychain to the aforementioned boy. It was made out of wood, courtesy from the Technology Multi-Materials class, and was painted gold like the former's hair. Roxas took the charm from the azure-eyed boy's hands and held it out eye-level, examining its intricacy for something so small. Sora had his own one as well, the blue-eyed blonde noticed, but his was a small wooden key that looked to be able to fit his charm. While his was gold, Sora's was red, and its handle ended with a blue, perfectly shaped heart.

"Hn. You sentimental weirdo. Thanks for the keychain."

A nudge to the side, a giggle, then the snuggling of a chocolate mess on his shoulder. "We'll be friends for a long time, right?"

Roxas responded with a slight nod. _'As long as you don't disappear on me, we can be friends for many, many, many lifetimes.'_

**~o~**

_Activity Four: Free Hour!_

_Students have the choice to do whatever they want for someone else, may it be woo them in song, write poems for them or show them they care through hugs and kisses! Booths are provided for the aid of these happenings. Your student council will provide you with microphones, cards, creative drawing paper and whatever else you may need! Have a blast on Destiny's version of a derived Valentine's Day!_

Roxas should've known better to run far, far away and never return once the announcement of their fourth activity was made. He was still linked arm in arm to Sora when the boy pulled him back into the courtyard from their table after lunch. A ready mob of fangirls were heading towards the duo in full speed, shrieking and shouting out their battle cries in the form of Sora's name.

He was almost afraid to get trampled on by the foreign species before the azure-eyed boy stopped them all with a wave. _From battle cries to dying seal cries, _Roxas cringed, tucking his ears closed to block out the noise echoing around the courtyard. He wished his ear muffs weren't back in the classroom for they proved to be of more worth besides keeping warm this autumn. Taking his leave towards a less crowded area of the courtyard, the eleventh grader couldn't bear to watch his friend listen to their meaningless "I love you"s and return their shameless affections with hugs and ugh, possible kisses. And no, it wasn't because he was overly jealous (hah, as if!) but rather he preferred not to witness anymore nightmare-inducing girl trauma.

Sitting on a ledge that overlooked the humiliating things his schoolmates were subjecting themselves to do, Roxas bowed his head down and rolled around the small outlying pebbles on the tips of his shoes. There wasn't anything he could possibly do to show his love for anyone in this school. Even the twins had someone to impress - Naminé was with some other blonde dude and Kairi was playing catch-the-ball with Riku. Sora - ugh. No more mental images of annoying fangirl actions, please.

A strong breeze blew ungelled flaxen hair to his face, as though trying to dishearten him more. It took Roxas a few minutes to fix it back, which he was so absorbed with that he failed to notice a red-necked bird chirping in the vicinity. What an unusual bird. It didn't appear frightened of him as he reached a pale hand out to it, courageously landing on perfect skin.

"Heh. At least you're here with me, huh?" he muttered, using two fingers to pat its tiny head. A cerulean gaze to the sky conjured a sentimental thought, and before he knew it he was planting a kiss on the bird with tears prickling his eyes.

"Fly away, now love." he whispered, and he gently raised his hands to give it leverage. Grey feathered wings flapped tenaciously as it disappeared from his sight._ Tell the wind I love him, little guy. Tell him I still miss him and I forever will._

"Roxaaaaas!"

Tch. He'd know that voice anywhere, and there was really only one person who was buddy-buddy with the Twilight High student enough to be able to say his name like that. A quick brush across his eyelids and he was finally public-worthy again. No way he'd be caught crying on a supposedly joyous day.

"I'm really sorry you had to leave." Sora pleaded guiltily, his voice heightened with more silent apologies. "This day didn't turn out as I hoped it would be." The boy sat with him on the ledge, embracing the blue-eyed blonde in small arms with all his might.

_'No more of your fangirls, I hope. Mangy beasts. It wasn't like this last semester_,' the sunshine-haired teen criticized mentally. This guy, though. Sora was the only one who could melt his stoic front and make him start feeling emotions he should really keep to himself. One look in his deep ocean orbs and Roxas was immediately pacified, dismissing the envy he felt for those stupid, annoying excuse of people.

"Here, something to make it up to you. I've been meaning to give this to you the whole day and I really, really couldn't wait, plus I wanted to spend it all with you but, nooo, heaven forbid! And now that we're both free and I have no more responsibilities, I was hoping you would accept it, please please _please_ open it and I hope you like it!" The younger managed to say in one breath. Sora presented him with a small simple box, no ribbons or wrapping paper this time. He looked into ocean hues once more before he nodded his approval and dug into his present.

Inside were six wooden jigsaw pieces, red in colour and carefully painted and cut. It took less than five minutes to piece together, forming what seemed to be the outlined shape of a love heart. Once finished, blond eyebrows furrowed warily at the fact that there was one last piece missing. Sora chuckled at the face he was pulling before fishing out the last piece from his pocket and handing it out to Roxas.

The final piece was a picture of the two of them at the game center, taken by none other than Naminé. Sora was undeniably grinning and Roxas was as impassive as ever, nose a little scrunched up as he eyed the younger one with a hint of affection.

"This was nothing original, I swear." explained the sixteen year old shyly. "Mum said this was how Dad asked her out. What were the words again, err, _"You complete my heart?"_Yeah. Something along those lines. I'm sorry, I really suck at this." The brunette's face was colouring to a shade of scarlet quicker by the minute. Even Roxas' pale skin turned into a light pink colour, and his ears were heating up at the prospect of the action.

They sat in awkward silence for a while before the chocolate-haired boy started laughing for no reason.

_"I love you, Roxas."_

Cerulean eyes enlargened similarly to the plates he ate from at home as he looked at the younger sixteen year old.

"Excuse me?"

The other boy just sighed in reply, drawing closer and getting all snuggly.

"You heard me. You're the coolest friend I've ever had."

_Ahh. _So Sora has opted to draw in the friend trump card huh? Roxas wasn't sure why he felt a little flitter of disappointment as he repeated _those words_ in his head all over and over again.

"You know, this day just got better because you're here with me." Sora admitted. He took the older boy's hand into his own and laced their fingers together - small, cold tan ones around long and bony pale ones. "Normally I'd do my fair share of affection-giving to everyone before I go out and deliver everything we've collected and raised. Riku was always little, err, more _withdrawn_ than Kairi and Naminé when I give them hugs. I get too pampered when I'm with the twins, though. The fangirls... they're nice and all (at this, Roxas couldn't help but snort) but they're a little... too much. ("Ya think?" The blonde rolled his eyes.)"

"But with you, you're just silent. No pampering or pushing me away. You're okay with it, and it's just the way I like it... you're appreciative, and yet you give me a little space. Makes me wish you were here during the other days." Sora finished, sighing as he napped on the shoulder he was becoming well acquainted with. Rough day, running around playing manager for a school event. The boy deserved some rest. It hadn't been the best day for the Twilight High student but it wasn't entirely bad either, and he knew Sora was trying his hardest to open up his fragile heart.

With his other hand Roxas combed through chocolate strands and pulled the other closer to himself. He picked up the jigsaw pieces and put them away into the box; the final piece resting atop of all seven. He could see the student council and a few other students packing up every stall as they readied themselves for hometime. Hmm... It wouldn't hurt if he came with his friend to wherever charity he still had to visit. Yeah. It was the least he could do to show his appreciation for the boy's hard effort.

_'Thank you, Sora. I know you could complete my heart too, if I would just let you in.'_

* * *

**Bah-humbug.** I hope that was alright. **I changed it a little, haha :P No use having premature errors. *yawns* Sorry for the wordiness once again. *yawns once more* I oughta be going to bed now. Goodnight readers! XD ChiiRyeeBiee signing off!**


	5. Dreams Come True

**Bring on the tomatoes. *awaits said fruit throwing* I can take 'em and make meself a nice-a pasta sauce, yaa? Feliciano and Lovino will-a love it! PASTAAAA!**

**Wassup my lovelies! ChiiRyeeBiee has finally returned! *slams head repeatedly on nearest hard surface* (╬≖ิ_≖)**

**Besides the current Hetalia phase and my stupid busy life, I would really like to apologize for the three month break from this story. I just graduated high school and I basically had assessment over assessment every school week. Exams are coming too (woe is me) but while I have a bit of free (cough cough procrastination) time, I will compensate for all that is lost! *fistpumps in air***

**Man it's so exciting to finally write again! For now though, I must get into the RokuSora phase and out of my current Hetalia phase. _ChiiRyeeBiee used TRANSFORM! _*dances* Thanks so much for those who have followed, favourited and merely read this story! So happy~ Here is my prize. Disclaimer ensues, by the way. This is a boyxboy story, so read at your own discretion. I don't own Kingdom Hearts either (oh woe is me...).**

**What should you expect in this chapter, perhaps? One thing's for sure. I DO NOT PLAY SPORTS. AT ALL. IT IS SO DIFFICULT DESCRIBING SPORTS SCENES. I know I've been stalling the storyline a little, but come Chapter Six and Seven, things are gonna change. Maybe. I'M SO SORRY FOR MY INCONSISTENCY! *tears up***

**Yep, that's pretty much it, Take a drive through Chapter Five of Smile A Little, Will Ya! I hope it's good enough too. *takes leave to write next chapter***

* * *

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Smile A Little, Will Ya?

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

_"Roxas?"_

___**~o~**___

_-~-~A question left unanswered...-~-~_

___**~o~**___

_"What's your biggest dream? As in, what's your ultimate, ultimate wish in the world?"_

___**~o~**___

_-~-~-Lingering in the depths of a troubled mind...-~-~-~_

___**~o~**___

_"I dunno. Never really thought about it. What's yours, _?"_

___**~o~**___

_-~-~Will it ever be heard again?-~-~-_

___**~o~**___

_"To travel. I wanna go places, you know. Do so many things for others and experience what it's like to be free. I wanna leave my legacy in the world in the form of a smile. What do you think of it, Rox?"_

_"...hn. You really thought about that one, didn't ya?"_

_"Uhuh. And when I do, you'll come with me, right?"_

___**~o~**___

_-~-remembered... recalled... Will it ever become reality?-~-~-~_

___**~o~**___

_"Of course. You and me, together, _."_

_"Yeaaah..."_

___**~o~**___

_-~-~-I take it back.-~-~-_

___**~o~**___

_Please. If you could hear me. If you could hear me out there_—_ anyone, anything. Please..._

_Please..._

_Take back the wish I made upon a falling star, once upon a time when all was right and free._

_Take my love instead. Take my heart and wrap it up, just before I go._

_Give it to someone to hold... A soul immersed in glee._

_Please... If you could hear me out there. I beg of you._

___**~o~**___

_-~-~-~with every breath I have left, I take it all back-~-~-~_

___**~o~**___

_Deep blue sky, the one others stare into every morning when they look up; you and your azure wonders._

_The one others stare into every evening before they sleep; you and your ultramarine beauty._

_Please. Take care of him. Watch over the one who means the most to me._

_I entrust to you my dream. My wish. My only living legacy._

___**~o~**___

_~-~-~even though I know you'll never listen.-~-~-_

___**~o~**___

_"Roxas, don't ever stop smiling."_

_"Hn... I can't promise you that, you know."_

_"You can. I believe in you. There are so many things to smile about, really."_

___**~o~**___

_-~-~-~Give my dream a chance to prosper in his lonely world-~-~-~_

___**~o~**___

_"Tch. Yeah right. Like your terrible, terrible mince pizza?"_

_"Hey! That was only once! It was the oven's fault, you know!"_

___**~o~**___

_-~-~-~I'll let the wind carry it to you-~-~-_

___**~o~**___

_Goodnight, Roxas._

_Goodnight._

* * *

~Chapter Five - Dreams Come True~

"May thirteen. It's been three years since I've had to live without you. Three years of my life... gone just like that..." A particular angsty blonde sighed into a voice recorder as he sat on his queen-sized bed. He was tucked in and ready for sleep but found it compelling to record some of the day's events, even by just a few words. Like he always did every Thursday night, after reading a chapter or two.

Night time has arrived in Destiny Village. Jewelled stars are littered across the midnight sky, accompanied by the subtle shine of a crescent moon. Roxas Strife fiddled with the stringed handle of the recorder as he spoke, a little nervous even though there was no one around to listen.

"...Sora's been as bubbly as always. He tried to teach me this weird handshake today. A symbol of our friendship, he said, as if it had anything to do with our being friends. You would've loved him, y'know. He's a lot like you — always smiling like there's no tomorrow. You're both sports captains and you even have the same love for food..."

He took another deep breath and sighed, attempting to calm his rapidly-beating heart. Doing this every week for the past three years did not make it any easier. He knew he was truly by himself, and yet by choosing to narrate his experiences Roxas felt as if he really was talking to Him; that He was out there, listening to his words. That saying something like _"I can't believe I had so much homework today"_ would make it seem He was still around, nodding off at the sound of his complaints. That even a simple, _"Today was alright, I'm still fine as ever"_ would let Him know that he'd been coping after He left. Because that was what He would have wanted, wasn't it? Roxas was doing just fine. The absence of his real smile did not change the fact that he was still him. Right?

"...Sora made casserole for lunch. Winter's coming soon and he knows I can't stand the cold after living in a warm-seasoned town, so he thought a warm meal would do justice. He's been taking good care of me, which is kind of odd since I'm the older one. Remind you of anyone we know?" He shrugged in reminiscence.

"I owe him a lot, you know. He's been doing everything he can to bring back what I'd lost, and I feel guilty at his futile attempts. He's really getting to me." Roxas whispered, inwardly banishing any thoughts of what this declaration could have implied. "It's just a shame I can't give him back what he's given me. I've tried to be his friend, but it's just... not enough...

Heh, there must be something else I can do, right? Why the hell am I so pathetic...

Tch. It's gonna be real hard to say goodbye to him when it's time for me to go home. He was the only one who cared enough... and you're so much like him, it's uncanny. Unlike you though, he can actually cook. I've taken to making some of his recipes at home, and if you were still here, we'd dine like kings everyday...

Hehe... yeah. If only y-you were still here..."

Roxas let out a supposedly dying laugh, combing through messy blond locks with his unoccupied hand. "That's just it though. You're not here. You're somewhere else... somewhere better, I hope. But that doesn't mean you're truly g-gone, right? I b-bet y-you're listening to me right now, right around t-the corner, l-laughing at my incoherence...

...I b-bet you'd j-jump away from b-behind the door and give me one of y-your famous tackle-hugs. Then I'd get m-mad at you for breaking my bed... Haha... you and y-your crazy inner s-strength... haha... hahaha..."

As much as he tried to blink away the tears, they never stopped once they came. Roxas soon found himself sniffling into his blankets, something the stoic boy never allowed himself to do in front of anyone. But one could only exercise so much self-control. He tried not to bawl or feel completely defeated by his grief, only to fail at the sight of himself in the mirror, wearing His favourite shirt.

He missed Him. He really, really did.

Once the lights were off and he was truly buried under his duvet, only then did Roxas surrender to his substitute of comfort and all it had to offer. The recorder was still in his hand; this time playing back everything in its memory from when it was first used.

...

_...back when His voice...was still whole and audible..._

_..._

_"...erhem, uhh hello? Testing one two three, no wait, what am I doing, this isn't a microphone! Oh good it's recording now. Haha, errr... hi there, Roxas! Happy thirteenth birthday to the awesomest person in the whole world! Well, me too of course, but this is all about you, man! I ain't giving this to you until the day, though. Is it weird that I'm recording this like six months earlier? I just got this from Pence and though it would be a great memory thing from me. Can you believe it's got 32GB in it? Phew! Enough for a lifetime! Anyway, erhem, by the time you're thirteen, I hope you and I can watch those action movies we weren't allowed to watch together. Officially a teen, dude! Yahoo! Not that you'd care that much about ageing another year..._

_...Well, uhh, I don't know what else to say so, I'll think of something else later on. I love you Roxas! Kiss kiss, hug hug, I know you hate me when I say that because it's so girly but I say it anyway. Byebye... Now how do you turn this thing off...? Err.. nope, that's the volume... oh here."_

The rest of the recorder's lullabies were left unheard as the cerulean-eyed boy fell into slumber. A wisp of wind found its way through the cracks of his half-closed window, bidding the boy a silent goodnight.

**~o~**

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, a particular happy-go-lucky brunette found it necessary to tick off and add more ways to brighten up the life of his gloomy new best friend. Sora Leonhart was sitting at his desk, scribbling away and disposing post-it note after post-it note into the bin across where he was. It had become a game of basketball for him as he missed some and shot some, but the point of it was he needed at least five perfect ways he could initiate come the next month or so. At least everything he did wasn't going to waste. Being the blonde's friend, as much as wished to see his smile, was just as special to him as making Roxas happy. Roxas needed him, and it made him positively happy he was around to help. If he tried hard enough, Sora knew, there would come a day when he'd finally be able to change the older boy's life for the better.

"So tomorrow, this is happening, and then I'll do this on the weekend..." He told himself, pointing at the consecutive bullet points on his list. "But then-" Sora stopped a bit, scratching at his hair, "-I have to prepare for this. I know what I'm doing, and some practice is needed too. Oooh! Maybe a present will do for the next one! But I dunno if he's allergic... Then there's his birthday... hmm..."

The sound of his phone ringing interrupted him and his thoughts. "Really? Who calls at eleven in the evening?" Brown eyebrows were furrowed as he answered the call.

"'Ello, Sora here."

"Yeah, yeah, I know it's you, love." Kairi giggled on the other side of the line; Naminé butting in with her own hellos.

Sora swung around on his chair, balancing the phone between his shoulders and head as he continued drafting. "Just letting you know the Boogeyman didn't pick up the call or something. You need anything, Kai? It's like, almost midnight. Was about to get into bed as well so..."

The red-haired girl shook her head before verbally saying no. "Just calling in to make sure you go to sleep now. I know you've been so intent on your planning to make Roxas smile- and no, don't you dare roll your eyes at me, I can feel you doing it, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. You guys will be fine not walking to school with me tomorrow? I'm leaving really early to do something... see you guys at class, okay?"

Kairi looked at her sister quizzically, meeting equally confused sapphire eyes. "Err, sure... Just remember - tomorrow's a big day, so you better get decent rest, ya hear me? Oh, err, okay, uhh, Nam wants to say something as well."

The girls worried too much about him, thought the brunette.

"Sora? Kairi's right when she says you should sleep now." The younger of the twins said, curling her hair with a finger. "We know you love Roxas, but he won't be smiling if he sees you fail to kick tomorrow's winning goal."

"FOR THE LAST TIME, I DON'T LOVE HIM THAT WAY!" A loud slapping sound was heard at the other line from when Sora's palm met his face. It was the girls' turn to roll their eyes.

"Sure you do. You just don't know it yet." Kairi cooed all-too-knowingly. "Well then, nighty-night, Sor. Don't dream too much about him, mmkay? You may never want to wake up."

"I DON'T DREAM ABOUT HIM!" He yelled at his phone, only to find the line was already cut off. He sighed. "Why won't those two believe it when I say I'm only doing what I can to help Roxas?"

He took the list to bed and left on his pillow, surrounded by Froggy McGreen, Piggersbie and Yankee Doodledoo. Tomorrow was Sora's soccer finals against Radiant Garden Academy. He'd led his team tenaciously through every Tuesday game, and now that the finals were on, he was more psyched than he always was. Who knows, maybe he was up for victory. Tomorrow may even be the day he finally got to see Roxas smile.

Maybe.

For now though, he'd rest his azure eyes and dream of winning the interschool Soccer Cup, of bountiful celebration feasts, and of cerulean eyes, beaming back countless measures of happiness.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

How to Make Roxas Smile: a checklist of how to make my beloved friend happy! Part 4

_11) Hey, I'm no class athlete for nothing! Maybe I could teach Roxas one of my specialties, and we could verse each other one-on-one! Playing sports is a good way to make one smile!_

_12) There's a beautiful beach just nearby our house, so maybe all five of us could hang out there during the coming weekend. Besides, who doesn't smile when they see a spectacular view of the sea?_

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

**Commencing Phase Eleven: Attention, Newbies and Maggots Alike — March for Victory!**

If it weren't for the incessant pounding at his door, Roxas doubted he would have woken up on this groggy Friday morning.

"Ugggh..." He complained, raising a head to check the wall clock. Seven twenty-five am. He was face-first on one of his pillows and completely tangled in his blankets - a foot out in the cold open, his left hand buried under his stomach, hair tousled into a gravity-defying mess. Who on earth would be knocking on his door? Surely the mailman wasn't _that_desperate for him to answer - and besides, he didn't even order himself any packages. Only his mother knew his address, but she'd have told him she'd visit prior to her travels. He ought to be grateful for the wake up call though, but seriously. This early in the morning? Please. Stop. Destroying. His. Door.

"Alright, ALRIGHT! I'M COMING!" He growled, kicking off his blankets and stretching. Stupid door knocker. If this was one of those girl scouts selling him crappy cookies, he'd slam the door at her face straight up, nice cookies or not.

"Roxaaaaaaas! Open up! It's Sora here! I wanted us to walk to school together!" The voice on the other side of the door said. Roxas made an annoyed grunt and trudged towards the forsaken door. Of freaking course. Who else would be so enthusiastic-cum-irritating at such an early hour? Sora, that's who. He resisted the urge to yell at the boy to stop damaging the poor entryway, mainly because the brunette didn't deserve it after everything he's done for him. Sora greeted the blonde with a hug, who softened up at the gesture of affection.

"Hey there. You're a lot jumpier this morning. What's up with the outfit?" Roxas raised an eyebrow at his friend's blue and white sports attire. "Is it Sports Day or something?"

"Nuh-uh. Just my soccer finals in the afternoon. Thanks for letting me in!" The younger boy immediately made himself at home at Roxas' soft armchair, looking around him all the while. "You have a nice place. Hehe, sorry for randomly dropping by too. I should have called last night to tell you I'm visiting." Roxas formed a small 'o' with his mouth, suddenly remembering he'd invited the Destiny College student over one lunchtime.

The aforementioned brunette stood up and curiously approached Roxas' wall-sized bookshelf. "Woooooow! So many books! It's like you have your own library here!" He took one that he thought had an interesting title and began browsing through it. "How do you pay for all this? Your place seems really big for one guy to live in. N-not that t-that's a bad thing of course, it's t-totally fine, I w-was just wondering..."

Roxas shrugged, making his way to the kitchenette. He offered his friend a ready-made mug of hot chocolate and turned on the television while he fixed himself up for school. "Come sit. No biggie, really. When I have time, I drop by your local library and work there. Since I'm pretty thrifty, it makes rent easier. The furniture's from back home. My family's really big on houses so I have a loadful of stuff." The blonde went off to his room and got into his Twilight High uniform in seconds. He was fixing up his hair as the younger boy sipped his drink, eyes trained on the television.

"Hey Rox, don't keep me from stopping your school preparations. You can style your hair in the bathroom, you know. Plus, I haven't watched this show in a while." Sora shooed him away with a free hand. Roxas just stood there though, intent to keep styling his hair and his guest some company. After all, it wasn't everyday he had anyone over. Like, ever.

_'I've been alone for a long time now... I never even noticed how quiet this house has been...' _He thought, sighing.

Minutes passed by and Sora was in near tears at the nostalgia he felt watching his childhood cartoon. Roxas was about done, looking more well-fitting than he did when Sora first came over. With a suitcase over his shoulder, he waited for the younger boy near his thankfully still-intact door. "Sora, time to go." He called out, keys at the ready. "We'll be late if we don't hurry up."

Their journey was none-too-eventful as the azure-eyed boy kept practicing his kicks and Roxas tried to think of topics to talk about. Maybe he should wish the younger one goodluck for today's match, or ask why he bothered to walk with him to school. Tch, he already knew the answer to that. Bell time wasn't until nine, so Sora must have been up just before dawn to get all his things organized and his butt at Roxas' door by half-past seven. How typical of the guy to make such a sacrifice.

"Roxaaas, I made rice balls todayyy~ I made sure there was surprise filling in them, so you don't know if what you're eating's tuna, chicken, salmon or plain avocado." The free-spirited boy said, attaching himself to Roxas' left arm. "I thought it'll be fun to guess which rice ball has which. Plus, they're pretty healthy! Balanced diet and all, huh?"

The cerulean-eyed boy shook his head unbelievably at the brunette. Typical of Sora indeed. How anyone could hate such a person was beyond Roxas, even if he was a little delusional and annoying at times. "Thanks I guess. You always make the nicest lunches. But don't you have your match at lunch? How're you gonna eat then?"

A light breeze caught the nearby tree leaves into a solemn sway. "Recess'll be good enough. Besides, it's you that needs to eat more. You didn't even eat breakfast, Rox!"

True. "Yeah yeah, I'll eat later. I feel as if you're fattening me up for winter, you weirdo." The addressed teen remarked, pulling Sora closer to him as they walked.

**~o~**

When the duo finally arrived at Destiny College, it was barely inhabited, with some staff floating around here and there and the very punctual students hiding away from the embarrassment of being too early for their own good. Roxas checked his watch. Eight ten am. Normally he'd be in the library with this much time to spare, but it seemed Sora had other plans as he was pulled into the direction of the soccer field.

"I was wondering if you could help me practice before the match, Roxas. You're alright with soccer right?" Sora began to explain himself once he retrieved a ball from the gymnasium. With those big blue pleading orbs of his, how could the blonde refuse to help? The least he could do was push his friend that much closer to winning, even if sports were not his forte. He wasn't unfamiliar with soccer though. If at all he had to choose a sport, soccer was definitely numero uno.

_..._

_"Roxyyyy, come practice with me! Agrabah College has really tough players. Don't leave me to dieeee! I'm too awesome to die!"_

_"_, you beat me everytime. You are not a pathetic athlete. Besides, you practice every freaking day. And you won't die playing soccer, you dunce. Chill out."_

_"Yaaa, but that doesn't make me any less better than Aladdin's team! Save meee! At least be goalie and I'll just kick the ball at ya. Please? Come on, man. I'm begging you with my beautiful blue eyes. Pleaseeee Roxas? Pretty pretty pretty pleaseeee?"_

_"... ... ... Argh, fine... ... you are so unfair... ... This is only because I love you, okay? Next time this happens, Mr Pouty Face is not gonna work again."_

_"Yeyy! Aww, I love you too, Roxy. I love you thissss much! Now let's go play soccer! Yahoo~!"_

_..._

_In the end... I lost to you... And I lost you... to the game..._

Roxas made his mind up and 'hnned' at the brunette, holding his arms out for the ball. "It'll be an unfair disadvantage to you to be practicing with someone as pathetic at soccer as me, but alright. Don't go easy on me, okay?" He shrugged, walking away to the far end of one of the fields. Sora giggled happily at the acceptance and began to position himself at the opposite end.

"We can play a one-on-one while there's still time. First one who shoots a goal wins. That sound fair?"

"Hn. Sure thing."

"Okay then! When you're ready, Roxaaaaas!" The brunette yelled, ready for action.

And thus their one-on-one game of soccer began. Roxas came in with a quick offense, keeping the soccer ball close to himself. Sora advanced in just as rapidly with the intent of stealing it, but the blonde countered with a few feint attacks, confusing his opponent. Sora adapted to the situation and attempted a front tackle; careful he didn't kick Roxas, of course. The blonde wasn't too bad at this. He was quick on his feet, and he managed to kick the ball to their right when Sora was too distracted making sure the Twilight High student wasn't going to get hurt.

"Come on, Sora. You can do better than that." Roxas called out, sprinting to the ball before the brunette could get to it. The goal was open, but he knew it wouldn't be wise to make a shoot should Sora have some secret obstruction strategy or something. The younger boy was just as defensive in the game as He was, so the cerulean-eyed boy's offense skills were coming in handy. Good thing Roxas has had practice with one of the best, albeit late, soccer players in Twilight Town.

"Heehee. Sorry, Roxas! Just a little off today..." Sora said, jogging towards his opponent for a ready block.

It was then that the blonde did something Sora never knew could be done in soccer — a trick back-pass and agile kick off. When Sora was finally on guard again, Roxas dragged the ball on the field with his left foot, confusing the class athlete. He scooped it back up with the same foot, juggling it just a bit before he aimed for an air kick. Sora was highly impressed.

"Woah! That was so coooool!" The boy cried, unbelieving that this what the same guy who claimed he was "pathetic" at soccer. If that was pathetic, then he didn't know what "good" even was! His friend was giving it his all on this one, and Sora should do so as well. Roxas was already advancing to the goal, and as the sports captain of Destiny College, he refused to lose at his own game!

Sora caught up with him in seconds, this time catching Roxas off guard as he stood in front of him one minute, jumped from side to side the next and successfully hacked the ball just as the former could kick it forward.

"I can do tricks too, Roxy! I call this one the Class Clown. Get it? Pretty clever, huh?" He proceeded to play on, avoiding his chasing opponent with another simple trick — "the Zipper" he called it, as it focused on passing the ball in a zig-zagging motion across the field.

Roxas nodded to himself, proud of his friend's teetering moves. "That's better. Don't hold back, Sora."

The sports captain grinned back, saying, "You're really good at this, you know." He caught the cerulean eyes in an intense gaze — was Roxas near-smirking at the compliment? Or maybe it was just the sun, illuminating the field with warm eight am rays. How curious.

Getting his head back in the game, Sora danced around the soccer ball, kicking closer to the goal every now and then. He kept his senses alert for the opposition and his focus on the goal post just metres away. Roxas switched to a quick defense, aiming to obstruct the brunette's way as he sprinted swiftly before the goalpost. Sports person or not, it was nice getting a little action once in a while. He almost forgot how fun soccer was, until then.

An audience of fangirls (_oh freaking dear, _Roxas thought) and boys alike began to gather at the edge of the field as the two eleventh graders played on. Some knew about Sora's situation, cheering rounds of_ "Goodluck for the game today, Sora!", "Kick that winning goal, dude!" _and worse,_ "We'll still love you no matter what you do!"_ The moment of distraction arrived when the aforementioned class athlete looked up and replied with his best smile.

Roxas took this chance to attempt a hack; something he didn't really do against Him unless absolutely necessary. He charged for the boy who was still looking out to his audience. Unfortunately, some annoying fangirl just had to shout, "Watch out!", snapping his opponent from his reverie and getting Sora to resume his game mode. A swerve here and the azure-eyed boy managed to sidestep his friend, gaining upper hand of the game and shooting for goal.

Success.

Sora jumped up in utter excitement and glee. "Yipeeeee~! Did you see that, Roxas? That was by far the farthest I have ever kicked in my entire soccer life!" After some running and dodging here and there, it was surprising how the boy could still have sooo much energy. Their audience erupted into applause and cheers of victory, running towards Sora and giving him hugs and way too many pats on the back.

Ugh. Roxas will never ever be a soccer player. Ever.

Once the weirdos had finally cleared up with promises to "cheer for you in today's match, Sora" and "I'll give you hundreds of gifts after school", Roxas approached him and offered his hand, congratulating the boy for a job well done.

"Some advice for today's game, yeah?" The older boy panted, shaking his friend's hand with their "ultimately awesome" friendship handshake.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Keep focused, okay? Don't get distracted by the audience's cheers. You've done this before, so you should know that by now."

The Destiny College sports captain threw him a peace sign, grinning openly once more. "Yeah. I was just so happy I got to go against you today. If there's one thing I like most about sports, it's playing with people I care about." At this, he took Roxas' hand, beaming at him affectionately. "It makes the game more special to play with friends. My team for example, we've all played since starting Destiny College so we're all brothers and sisters now. Our biggest plus side isn't our soccer experience, or our athletic ability, but the fact that we work so well together. Don't you think?"

The blonde felt a little honoured at Sora's little speech, squeezing at the hand he held to show he understood what he meant. "That's a really nice outlook on sports." From the corner of his eye he could see students begin to make their way towards their homerooms, a sign of the near coming of bell time. He accompanied the boy to return the soccer ball before they both left for homeroom, energized and ready for the day.

"I am so stealing your trick shot today. It was brilliant, man. Although without the right practice I'm not sure I can pull it off." The brunette claimed.

"Pfft. 'S not mine, Sora. I don't play soccer, remember?"

"Well then how can you manage such a trick shot? You must at least play some to even have one right? Looked pretty original to me."

Roxas looked up at the ceiling, noting the way a stray strand of hair fell out of place as a light gust of wind headed their direction. "It wasn't mine, but someone in Twilight Town had the same move. I learnt it from him, of course. He was a formidable soccer player and a class athlete."

Sora lit up cheerily. "Nice! Maybe I could meet him someday in a future match, right Roxas? I'm taking this victory home with me, so when that day comes, he better be ready! I'll be taking his spot as the best athlete ever known!"

Heh, his friend was THAT determined to achieve his current goal, huh. It was nice, having such an achievement to work on. As for Roxas; well, he had no distinct goals. Just living for tomorrow, he supposed. Living for tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. It broke the blonde's heart a little, knowing that Sora's dream of meeting this mysterious person will never come true.

"Sora?"

Roxas wondered how he would say this next thing, his mind trying to find the right words.

"Yeah?"

They stopped walking for a while. The brunette blinked curiously at him, wondering what could be wrong.

"Don't lose, okay? And please... don't push yourself too hard. Please. You know what, screw losing, just don't die out there, okay? Don't go climbing weird fences should the ball be kicked so high up and don't do everything by yourself."

Roxas gritted his teeth, inwardly wishing that wasn't too weird a request. Sora chuckled at him, moving in closer and leaning on his left shoulder.

_..._

_"Don't worry so much, Roxas! I'm too awesome, remember?"_

_..._

"I won't, so don't worry anymore, kay?" The free-spirited boy said back. It was then they entered their homeroom, full of expectant faces and excited classmates. Sora's team was going to win. They were sure of it.

_..._

_"Cheer for me when I'm out there, Roxas! I'll be waiting for you to come!"_

_A smile, a promise, a present nearly finished._

_"Take the cup home, man. I'll be there."_

_..._

_...that was the last time he saw Him... before everything changed... one step at a time..._

**~o~**

As expected from that Friday, Sora's soccer team swept the victory cup from their opponent's feet. Radiant Garden Academy's team captain, Lea, was no match against the brunette and his undeniable agility. All his big talk about, _"I'm winning this game, shortie, so get it memorized!"_ was all it was when it came to actually making accurate shoots at their opponent's goal. Zack, Destiny College's goalie, made sure no amateur shots were made as he repeatedly blocked incoming balls to the best of his ability.

"And the score so far is 10-9 to Destiny College! 10-9, everyone! Can the visiting team steal the cup from the current winning home team? Or will Destiny College win this year's interschool Soccer Cup? There goes Isa, running after the ball as Tidus risks a speedy attack move. He passes it to Vanitas, and oh! Oh! He's going for the shoot! Come on everyone, let's hear it for the DC vice-captain! Lea of the opposing team makes a save, going back to their previous strategy of hot potato. Cue in Sora who yet again never fails to impress us with his distracting soccer dance!

Oh, and what's this? A new trick shot? Could it be? Was our own sports captain saving up for this one special move the whole time? Woah! I've never seen anything like it, folks! What a juggle! Applause for our team captain, Sora Leonhart, everyone!

One minute on the clock, players! Lea's chasing him up, but Vanitas comes in at defense! Oh oh oh! Sora's making a shot, everybody! The DC players are all making a smooth pathway for him as they keep the RG players occupied! And the crowd gets louder, and the cheerleaders do more cheering than ever! Come on, Sora! The time's running out and he's making it! It's getting there, and goalie Aeleus tries his best to block! AND HE SCORES! Ladies and gentlemen, the time's up! 11-9, everybody, and the win goes to our home team!"

The Destiny College soccer team actually feared they wouldn't take the cup home, with Radiant Garden leading the game at 0-4 at the first half of the match. Of course Naminé just had to stand up from the bleachers and yell, "IF YOU LOSE THIS ONE, SORA LEONHART, THINK OF THE LOVE YOU'RE LOSING AS WELL!" This caused an uproar with the students in the school as Sora's fangirls despaired about their idol's so called "love" while everyone else wondered if Sora had been hiding a girlfriend this whole time. Riku rolled his eyes at them all.

Roxas sat in between the twins, eyes focused on the game and at his friend, who looked exhausted but kept on going nonetheless. He couldn't express the nostalgic feeling he felt watching someone special play his favourite sport of soccer. He admired Sora's coordination skills with his teammates and inwardly felt proud hearing a few calls of encouragement here and there. It made him miss Him that much more, but he was grateful to be watching the brunette at his best. Tch. As if the guy couldn't be even more amazing.

"Ro-xas!" The blue-eyed brunette called out, dragging bags of presents from everyone for winning his match. The bell rang ten minutes ago and Roxas was sitting at the entrance steps waiting for Sora so they could walk home together. Naminé, Kairi and Riku went ahead, the three claiming they had some surprise party to arrange for their youngest best friend.

"Sora, what in actuality are you even gonna do with those?" The Twilight High student turned around and spotted the bags. Sora smiled back at him nonetheless, passing him one for him to carry.

"I really don't know to be honest. I don't even know what half the stuff in here is. Mostly letters and chocolate maybe — it's like a Valentine's Day in May!" he laughed. "Although I think I'll donate some to you. You can have the one you're carrying, you know... I don't really deserve any of these." They walked down the steps of their school and headed towards Sora's house.

Roxas shook his head in disgust. Like hell he'd be a charity case to these oh-so-feminine "gifts of congratulations". "I think Riku would be more glad with these than I am. Besides, I only eat special and edible food." He hoped the hidden intention was lost on Sora as the boy skipped ahead, a bag slung over each of his shoulders.

"Yeah. I'll just give them to charity. Thanks for helping me carry them!" The brunette said.

Once they reached Sora's street, the blonde bid his friend farewell and went on his way back home. He declined the younger's insistent invitations for afternoon tea, not wanting to intrude any longer. The happy-go-lucky boy thankfully shrugged it off. Roxas was now in for a weekend-out in return: something about coming over and having sun time in their local beach along with Riku and the twins. Of course, with the same puppy blue eyes and guilt-inducing pout the Destiny College student pulled earlier in the day, he couldn't refuse any further.

The afternoon sun was just a few hours away from setting and Roxas couldn't help but miss the way he'd admire it as he walked home with his Twilight friends. At least, with the few friends he had back then. He remembered sitting near the edge of the clock tower beside Him and counting down to when the kind old sun would set, but it never did. Just like the way he believed they'd never be separated, but now He was gone.

He was in Destiny Village now though - he was with a new crowd and a new school. He had a new friend who was giving his all into bringing him the happiness he long wanted. But even when Roxas was supposed to be moving on, his past would always be of utmost importance to him no matter where he was. He was beginning to love the happy-go-lucky boy, but never like he will Him.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

**Commencing Phase Twelve: I See a Blue Sea, Let's Go Swimming!**

Saturday morning found Roxas getting up early than completing his usual twelve-hour sleep cycle. He ate breakfast, dressed himself and packed all his stuff for the day — "Bring a swimsuit!" Sora said — with other necessities such as snacks and sunblock despite the cool season. He didn't expect Sora to come pick him up like yesterday, but suddenly the brunette was there, knocking on his door again (or more like destroying it) with the same exuberant grin on his face. He heard three other voices muttering something alone the lines of, _"What a slowpoke" _and_ "You brought your sunglasses, right Nam? Can I borrow it?" _so he assumed the azure-eyed boy brought his trio of friends along too.

"Roxaaas! You readaaay? The sun's really nice today so our beach outing's just perfect!" Sora cried from outside the door. The blonde got lazy folding everything up, opting instead to stuff what he needed into a bag and finally leave the house for his door's sake.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming. Stop destroying my door, you sod."

Once the group was complete, the five eventually set off for Destiny Village's local beach, located just a kilometre away from Sora's home. Namine and Kairi marched ahead of the crowd with Riku slotting in the middle. On their way to the beach, Sora got into animatedly retelling the many experiences he had there — from catching his first fish, competing in a swimming race and drawing weird cartoons in the sand as a young child.

"...so one time I was swimming right? And then Riku was at the shore, calling out to me for some reason. And so I came over and he showed me this massive crab he somehow trapped in a bucket. We contemplated taking it home for dinner, but I didn't want to so we let it go. Turns out it was a mama crab since it had two other crabs clambering onto its shell for dear life... Then there was this other incident when Kairi and I found a cave hidden behind the trees. Naminé thought it was a grave of some sort so she refused to go inside. I'm pretty sure our charcoal doodles from when we were little are still there. We visit it every once in a while..." Sora rambled on, the blonde half paying attention.

Upon their arrival to the beach, the five friends walked around for a bit to find a perfect spot for their picnic; perhaps under a tree where shade was available to avoid excessive "sunburns" according to Naminé and Kairi. It was fairly inhabited by many of the locals just wanting to waste away their afternoon hours lying around or to actually have fun in the water. While Sora pulled him along to avoid said sunbathing residents, Roxas allowed himself to admire the azure depths of the sea, to smell the tang of salt in the breeze and to listen to the rather annoying chitter chatter of happy children building sand forts chorusing with the many territorial seagulls flapping about.

Destiny Village was known for its beautiful beaches, he remembered reading it in a brochure once. It was a peaceful place that could have almost been classified as an island, if not for its easy accessibility by mobile transportation. It was the tranquility of the location which attracted Roxas to consider it for a potential exchange city, but now that he thought about it, Destiny was also a tourist-worthy town. Seeing the sea for himself, the Twilight boy could completely understand why Sora was so attached to the place.

"Roxas, come on! The sea won't wait forever!" exclaimed the azure-eyed boy, who was already in his swimming trunks ready to go. How the boy managed to change without his noticing, Roxas would never know.

The girls busied themselves spreading out their picnic mat while Riku sat on it, binge eating some of the cookies the girls made especially for Roxas. Kairi and he were soon at each other's hair; the redhead pushing him away with all her might as the silverette shrugged her off, still munching away aggravatingly.

"You never bake things for me. It ain't fair... I want food too." He complained.

"That's because cooking for you is a waste of our precious time. Not to mention you'd rather eat your greasy sandwiches, eww." Kairi bit back. Naminé grinned at her sister and their eldest best friend.

Meanwhile, Sora was dragging a still fully clothed and sunblock-free Roxas towards the edge of the waves. They lapped at the white sand with consistent timing... _three, two, one..._ before retreating back into the sea again. Pieces of broken shells and pebbles could be vaguely seen half-buried into the mucky sand. Sora left the Strife teen to watch the waves as he gleefully ran towards the water.

"Yahoo~! Come on, Rox! Join meeeee! The water feels nice and cooool!"

As much as the teen wanted to curl up under their tree to read a book, it would be kind of useless bringing a swimsuit and tagging along on this day out with the chocolate-haired boy if he wasn't going to do anything. Still, reading for the rest of this fine Saturday would have been more ideal to him. He walked back to their spot, grabbed his bag and found a nearby bathroom to change in before joining the boy in the water.

"N-nice and c-cool, huh? It's freaking freezing, Sora!" Roxas shivered to himself. The brunette rose up to the surface to greet him with a smile. Sora could have sworn Roxas was about to laugh at him, but the boy turned away and continued to grumble about the cold and the sun's rays and whatnot.

Sora's normally spiky hair was down for once, sticking to the sides of his face like he was some kind of grudge. He shook it dry frantically in attempts to look less like a monster. The sunshine-haired boy was already about to leave the beach before he tackled him into the water, arms and all.

"CATAPUUUULT!"

**~o~**

After helping himself to the snacks, Riku decided to join the two lovebirds and interrupt their glomping game before things got worse. The blonde girl and her sister kept close, building themselves a neat sandcastle in competition with the other children. They overlooked the two blue-eyed boys bickering about something from afar and with twin telepathy, they sighed together. Sora and Roxas so liked each other. It was obvious by the way Sora tried so hard to make Roxas happy and Roxas himself couldn't help but be fond of the thick-headed boy. Naminé caught Kairi's sapphire gaze and they both nodded at each other.

"Can't we do anything, Kai? Seeing those two together is like watching a fifty-one episoded drama of pining and clichéd backstories... And Riku still doesn't approve it." The younger twin slouched over their mat. Kairi chuckled and continued fortifying their sandcastle.

"Riku'll come around. As for brainstorming a nefarious plot, I think we'll leave it to Sora and his weird antics. I'm looking forward to seeing his face when he realizes he like likes Roxas... Pure internet-worthy hours of OMG WHAT DO I DO NOW! and animated sobbing... " Kairi added a shell at the front of their castle.

"You're evil." Naminé poked her on the shoulder.

"Pssh. You're thinking it too. And we'll get to baby him again. Sora's growing up too fast."

As the girls discussed their plans for their blue-eyed duo, said duo were currently having a swimming race against Riku to the dock and back. After much persuasion Roxas went along with them, flatter kicking and breaststroking through the water just inches behind the Leonhart teen and the aquamarine-eyed boy. Riku eventually claimed his victory with a loud "Oh hell yeah! In your faces!", much like his boastful tirade at the arcade. Afterwards, Sora dragged them both out of the water to play some ball.

"Bet you can't beat me in beach volleyball, Riku!"

"Oh yeah? Let me sentence you to life in second place!" He looked over at the blonde who wanted out. "I think I'll go keep the girls company. I can't play volleyball."

Riku threw an arm around him and laughed. "Nonsense. It's not that hard. You just toss a ball with your hands over the net." He distanced himself, clasping his hands together. "Like so. The key is to keep your thumbs together and swing your arms in an upwards motion. Yeah. Like that." Sora beamed at the way his two male best friends were finally getting along.

They jumped in with some of the guys playing at the other side of the beach; Roxas in Sora's team while Riku joined the opposing. At first the blonde failed time and time again tossing the ball over but with Sora's cheerful encouragements he succeeded in scoring a point or three. They were all sweating by the time lunchtime came around — the blonde more so than the others. Sora smiled at him fondly and together with Riku they ate with the twins after some more swimming.

"Let us toast this juice to the beach!" The azure-eyed boy said, raising a cup.

"To the beach!" The four replied, helping themselves to some Naminé's lasagna and Sora's club sandwiches. They ate merrily in celebration of that fine Saturday afternoon, accompanied with whispered discussions about homework and Sora's epic win and why vegetables were disgusting.

**~o~**

While Naminé, Kairi and Riku played tag at the sea, Roxas and Sora stayed at their spot to watch their precious belongings. The brunette entertained himself by drawing something on the sand - a replication of the Twilight High student; hair and all. He just finished tracing the smile on his face when he leaned back at the cerulean-eyed teen drying off with a novel at hand. People were beginning to pick up and leave as five o'clock rolled by, just an hour earlier before the setting of the sun.

"You have a dream, right Roxas?" The chocolate-haired boy brought up suddenly. Cerulean orbs blinked back with confusion.

"Huh?"

"You know, what you're gonna be in the future, a bucket list to fulfill, that kind of thing?"

He wasn't aware why his friend was bringing this up now, but he guessed didn't hurt him to answer... "Well... I guess I want to travel. Maybe discover exceptional literacy pieces all over the world." Roxas ran a hand through his nearly dried blonde locks. "Paintings and art, too. I'll go everywhere that's anywhere, maybe learn a thing or two, perhaps."

_It's what He would've wanted, anyway..._

The Leonhart teen grinned. "That's awesome... Okay, your turn."

"My turn to what?"

"Ask me questions. Seems like a good time to share secrets while everyone else is busy swimming. Plus, I kind of know everything about you now, but that's only on the surface." Sora fiddled with string of his shorts. Roxas huffed in mock arrogance, flicking at the azure-eyed teen's hair.

"Oh really?"

"Yep. Lemme see if I can list them..." Sora began counting off points from his fingers. "You're right handed, you say "hnn" all the time, you're a Leo and you're good at dancing. You hate onions and will always pick them out of your food, so I've taken to making meals without one. You read as much as you can; probably even at midnight when the whole town's asleep. You don't like noise, your favourite subject is English, you've got an artistic talent, you hate Mr Even. Then there's your eyebrow twitch when you're super annoyed, and you like to wear black. Yeah. Something like that."

"Hnn. What are you, the ambassador of stalkerland?"

"I'm not a stalker! I just... observe you, is all. Anyway, you still have to ask me a question." He pouted back.

Roxas shook his head unbelievably. He would never understand this peculiar individual he liked to call "friend". The blonde chose simple questions like, "what's your favourite colour?", "Do you have pets?" and "What's worse, pins and needles or strains?" to which Sora replied with "blue", "not right now" and "strains".

"Those are such shallow questions, man. We're in the middle of a DMC and you're such a wet blanket about it." Sora took matters to his own hands by stealing away Roxas' book and throwing it somewhere far. This predictably angered the Strife teen.

"HEY! What the hell was that for! That was a library book!" The brunette merely giggled innocently.

"For not paying attention. Don't worry, I'll pay for it if it gets damaged. Now shoot! Give me something to think about! I want you to know me and I to know you. What kind of friends would we be if we knew nothing about each other?" He concluded, grabbing himself one of the cookies Riku left.

The aforementioned eyebrow twitch of Roxas' slowly faded to a knit. He just had to pick a happy-go-lucky, sports fanatic, class favourite, nosey kind of a friend, didn't he? There was a reason he was introverted and that was to avoid anyone else befriending or knowing about him in this new town of his. But there was that pout of Sora's again and of course he had to be friends with someone who was a scheming weirdo like this guy. He didn't want Sora to know him. He didn't want Sora to dedicate half his life into helping him, because chances are, it would be worthless in the end.

"Fine then. Why is it that you're helping me? Why are we even friends? You of all people know how antisocial I am. Surely it isn't because you genuinely like me, right?" That came out a little rude, he noticed after saying it and winced. Roxas watched Sora's gleeful eyes dull with pity. He hated that look. Everyone back home looked at him that way and it was sickening. Suddenly, he didn't feel too good about this day anymore.

"Because I love you..." The boy muttered, nuzzling into his friend's shoulder. Roxas bit at his lip guiltily. "You're my friend because I want you to be. Because I can't stand seeing you look so forlorn, and so I try everything I can to make sure you're happy. I want you to smile, and I do like you a lot." His hand found Roxas' and with a finger, he traced patterns into the blonde's palm. The girls and Riku continued to exhaust themselves in the water.

"That is one hell of a selfless reason, don't you think?" Roxas finally said, leaning back at his friend. The brunette nodded.

"Hehe. That's who I am, I guess. Sora, the ever so selfless and happy person. Plus... I want you to know you're not alone. That even in this big bad world, there's someone who cares, you know? Some people, they go through the same things, maybe even worse. I'm the one who wants to make sure they're not going to give up. Because they can't. There's so many things life still has to offer, and if I can, I'll try to be their helping hand. That a good enough answer?"

The sun was beginning to set, and traces of yellow and pink illuminated the once azure sky. It was just like home for a second.

"Um... Yeah." Despite the near coming of darkness, the world seemed even brighter than it ever was, Roxas thought.

_Please. Take care of him. Watch over the one who means the most to me._

"Teehee~ okay then! My turn! Anything else I should know about you? What's your family like? Any siblings? Any secret fears? How about your childhood, what was it like?" The chocolated-haired boy asked, standing up to stretch his muscles. Trust the azure-eyed teen to enlighten the heavy mood with his natural exuberance.

Roxas hnned. "You are incredibly nosy."

"Sorry. I can tell you about my life if you tell me yours!" Sora was jogging on the spot now. "I used to be a sickly child. Yeah, I don't look it, but I was always bedridden and was homeschooled for about a year. Mum and Dad thought I would never see the light of day except for when I irregularly visited the doctor. Kai and Nam would always come over with foods of all sorts. Riku would tell me about kindergarten and elementary." He sat back down and chanced a look at his beloved best friends. "One day I got jealous and after much complaining Mum and Dad let me go outside for a day or two. I played sports with Riku. Went to the beach with the girls. Heh, it turns out all I needed was fresh air and my immunity got better! I never want to be like that, all alone with nothing to do ever again..."

The sunshine-haired teen was baffled at how his friend could tell this depressing story with so much optimism. Sora explained it was why he loved the outdoors before urging him to compensate with one of his own stories.

Roxas thought hard. "I...I d-don't like mirrors, you know." Was that a pathetic start? Compared to his friend's confession, his was stupid. He should have chosen a better topic, but Sora was already paying attention with those big blue orbs of his shining curiously. He tried again. "Looking at them... it reminds me of how... how... awful my reflection is. How terrifying it is that the person staring back is... it's... it doesn't seem like me." The blonde was losing his usual control again. Damn these cruel confessions. Damn them. Roxas pulled at his hair as images of his own cerulean orbs and blonde hair flashed in his mind. Damn them. Damn them all.

Sora tapped him on the shoulder. "It's okay, Roxas. You don't have to say anymore. I won't tell anyone, I swear." Wasn't he the biggest jerk ever? He made Roxas sad when he was supposed to make him smile! Sora mentally slapped himself hard. Riku, Kairi and Naminé were making their way back already, so the two of them had one last swim before picking up their stuff and heading home. As they journeyed, the setting sun stayed shining rays of orange and pink across the apricot-coloured sky. It made Sora's hair seem almost golden, like Roxas' own. The sea breeze dared to dawn on them as quickly as it came.

_I entrust to you my dream. My wish. My only living legacy._

**~o~**

Once again, Naminé, Kairi and Riku led the group at the front as Sora and Roxas brought up the rear. Being in the same English class, the silverette and the twins muttered about their teacher's rather lengthy way of explaining the poem they were currently studying. The sunshine-haired teen lent half an ear to his friend's corny jokes as they trailed behind, hand in hand.

"Miss Megara needs to stop rambling about "ye one true love" and the symbolism of that rose she so dearly speaks of." Naminé stated. Riku mimicked the woman by reciting some of her favourite lines with that laughable accent of hers. Kairi giggled in response.

A small block of confectionery stores and convenience supermarkets were just ahead of them; people in business suits and children from nearby houses stopping by for purchasable goods. The sidewalk was a little crowded as a result of this as customers came and went. While the two were conversing, Roxas bumped into one of the guys accidentally.

"Sorry," he said, before turning his attention back to the babbling brunette. The stranger was having none of however as he turned around and cursed.

"Watch where you're going, you arse. What are you, a blind faggot or something? Scumbag."

The two eleventh-graders stopped in their way; Namine, Riku and Kairi long gone. The Strife teen took offence in the insult as cerulean eyes twitched with annoyance. He faced his offender with a dark stare.

"Care to repeat that again, you vulgar-mouthed freak? I apologize, you accept it. That's the way it goes. Unless of course, you'd rather accept something else." He clenched his fists for effect.

The stranger laughed. "What, you wanna pick a fight br—" he trailed off, jaw dropping as he finally recognized who he was talking to.

It was utterly unmistakable. The gravity-defying sunshine-coloured hair, that same snarky attitude, those criticizing blue eyes... he almost forgot He was gone for a second when he checked the boy's face, making sure His birthmark wasn't there, and it wasn't.

Two long years, and here was Roxas Strife, standing before him again.

Sora panicked a little, already aware the resulting outcome of this encounter would not be pleasant. "Umm, Roxas? Maybe we should just... leave? I mean, uhh, the others are waiting, right? Can't let the sun set and let them worry! Ahaha..."

The aforementioned teen heard none of Sora's words, infinitely shocked as he stood there. He tried to fathom how the rowdy, boastful, now-taller hazel-eyed blonde he once knew was right in front of him. Again. In Destiny Village. After two long years.

"H-Hayner? What are you— how—" he stuttered, miming incomprehension. The addressed Hayner grinned guiltily while he scratched at the back of his head.

"Umm, uhh, heyaa Roxas! How've ya been? Man, I'm really sorry, dude. I totally didn't know it was you. Honest. Apology accepted yeah? I mean, it was just a bump and man it would totally suck if you kick my arse right now..." the hazel-eyed teen blathered with hopes to be spared from said arse-kicking. He approached Roxas with sudden familiarity, holding out a hand. The blue-eyed blonde continued to stare at him blankly.

Sora spoke up instead, latching himself onto one of Roxas' arms in a protective manner. "I'm guessing you guys know each other?" Innocent azure eyes blinked back at the newcomer. "I'm Sora. Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too... I guess." He replied, shooting an inquiring look at the darker blonde. "For shame man... it's been what...? One to two years? Duuude! I can't believe you're here in Destiny Village!"

"Hn, yeah." Roxas gave Sora a reassuring hug back before gesturing to the hazel-eyed teen. "Err, this is Hayner from Twilight Town. He and I were buddies once. We went to the same middle school, but before the start of ninth grade everything went downhill." Hayner frowned in response.

Sora pouted sadly. "That's too bad. But you two are okay now, right? Maybe you could be friends again! How long are you here for?" The Leonhart teen turned to Hayner expectantly.

Hn. _Sora, ever the peacemaker,_ Roxas noted to himself. If only the brunette knew what _actually_ happened between them, but of course, he'd never tell him. Hayner picked up on this as well as the two Twilight boys communicated wordlessly. _He doesn't know about it, does he, Roxas?_

"I was here to do some research, for my marine biology class, yeah?" the rowdy blonde said. "We were actually just stopping by for a break on the way back home. Our school bus is parked way way over there."

"Ooh, have you guys been to the Destiny Aquarium yet? We have a collection of exotic creatures on display. But then again, the beach's much better of course. Artificiality just can't compete with real-life sea diving."

"That's true." Hayner said. "And yeah; neat place man. The zebra-striped jellyfish's my fave of all I've seen."

Hayner and Sora talked some more as the three moved over to give room for passing pedestrians. Roxas was just mildly listening to them, still bewildered about meeting Hayner again. It made him think about home and his mother; how she was doing and how his other two ex-friends were. Did they miss him? And did they miss _Him _too? Judging from how Hayner was, he didn't seem to think about the incident much. Unlike the older blonde who was still stuck in his past and refusing to move on.

"We were just there, actually! Today's weather was perfect, wasn't it?" Sora said suddenly. "Roxas was exposed to the sun for a change... If only you were free, we could go again tomorrow and the both of you could catch up on life!"

The hazel-eyed boy nodded. "I'd like that, but I can't right now. I'm heading home today, dude. Bus might leave me alone. Plus a friend's totally saving me a seat, yeah? Thanks anyway."

The stoic boy pulled Sora back towards the walkway to indicate it was time for them to go. "Come on, Sora. Riku and the twins are waiting for us." Numb cerulean and pitying hazel eyes met halfway. The youngest remained oblivious to the two Twilight boys' reactions.

"Oh, uhh, well, see you around then, Hayner!"

"Sure. You're not too bad, bro." They shook each other's hands. "Roxas picked a great friend."

Sora and Roxas continued their walk back home after saying their farewells to Hayner. They were barely a hundred metres away when the guy called out again.

"Roxas! _Wait up!_ I totally forgot something!"

Hurried footsteps padded the ground as Hayner caught up with the two.

"Y-Your mother s-says hi, you know. She c-came to visit me b-before my field trip, and I didn't know why, but I do now. Heh, s-she never t-told me you moved to Destiny, man. It's a good thing I caught you before I left! She s-says she misses you, Rox." The rowdy blonde panted, taking deep breaths. Roxas knew this was going to get serious, bracing himself with an unfeeling facial expression.

"Sora here's got your back, yeah? I still think you shouldn't have left Twilight, but I ain't downing you or anything because I have no right. Just know you're not alone, yeah Rox? I couldn't do it, she couldn't do it, neither Pence or Olette could do it. Maybe he can though." He gestured to Sora with a smile. The brunette on the other hand had no whatsoever clue what was going on.

"Don't hurt yourself anymore, Roxas. We miss ya. Don't leave us like He did." With this he reached out for a small something in his pocket, handing it to its rightful owner. Roxas gasped at the silver-outlined, emerald metal-plated, star-shaped charm he held in his hands. It was His.

"Your mother gave me that the day she visited. You forgot it when you left. She said it might help you realize He's still here. _"No matter where you go, we'll always find our way back to each other..."_ That's what you said the day you gave it to Him, yeah?"

Roxas slowly nodded.

Goodluck with life, okay? Ciao for now. Oh and Sora? I swear. You remind me of Him." Hayner waved them goodbye before heading out in the other direction. The blonde stared at his retreating back before analyzing the lucky charm and holding it tightly in his fist.

"Roxas... you okay?" Sora was concerned with the way Roxas was frowning dejectedly. Way too dejectedly. It was like a "the-world-was-going-to-end" kind of dejectedly. He watched his friend tremble and bite his lip nervously, unable to do anything.

Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

The Strife teen didn't answer back.

_..._

_"There are so many things to smile about, really. Don't give up Roxas. When in doubt, think of the wind and the stars. Yeah? See this one on my face right here? I'm always smiling, because stars are always bright. And the wind is free and always travelling, so it inspires me since it's just like my dream."_

_"You are a sentimental fool."_

_"So I am. But there's also another thing that I am."_

_"What? A flailing weirdo?"_

_"No, silly. I'm everywhere! So no matter what, we'll always be togetherrrr! Right? The wind and the stars are just like me. __So I can save you no matter what or when or where."_

_..._

_"Here."_

_"Happy twelfth birthday dude! Huh, What's this?"_

_"Happy twelfth yourself. I got help from Pence's dad to make it. You're always going places, and I can never reach you sometimes. It's just a goodluck charm I made, really. So, n_o matter where you go, we'll always find our way back to each other. You promised you'll always be there for me right? And I'll always be there for you. This'll remind you of me."__

_"...aww, man. Come here, Roxy~! Way to down the pathetic art set I bought you for today... Big hug~!"_

_"Ouch...dude... A-are you sure you're turning twelve? More like six!"_

_"Oh shut it, you. I love you man~! Mwa mwa mwa, here comes the airplane!"_

_"Stahp it! My hairrrr!"_

_..._

_"...I want you to know you're not alone. That even in this big bad world, there's someone who cares, you know? Some people, they go through the same things, maybe even worse. I'm the one who wants to make sure they're not going to give up. Because they can't. There's so many things life still has to offer, and if I can, I'll try to be their helping hand..."_

_~o~_

_I love you, Roxas._

_~o~_

_...Because I love you..._

_~o~_

_Don't give up, little brother._

_~o~_

_I never want to be like that, all alone with nothing to do ever again..._

_~o~_

_We'll always be together, right, Roxas?_

_~o~_

_...He's still here._

_~o~_

_I'm everywhere!_

_~o~_

_The wind and the stars are just like me._

_~o~_

_I want you to smile..._

_~o~_

_Keep smiling..._

_~o~_

_He's just like you._

_~o~_

_Sora..._

_~o~_

_Don't leave me, please!_

_~o~_

_Smile a little, will ya...?_

_~o~_

_He's gone._

_~o~_

_I'm still here, Roxas._

_~o~_

_Roxy, honey. Please._

_~o~_

_He won't ever come back._

_~o~_

_Hi, I'm Sora Leonhart!_

_~o~_

_May perpetual light shine upon him... may he rest in peace..._

_~o~_

_You weirdo._

_~o~_

_That's it! Don't stop smiling, Roxas._

_~o~_

_Everything changed that day..._

_~o~_

_M-m-me. A-a-always h-h-here._

_~o~_

A tear threatened to spill from the blonde's eyes.

"Ventus..."

* * *

***le has a bucket ready for more tomatoes* Man am I ready to make some delicious pasta sauce! (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ**

**Who saw that coming? I think I made it painfully obvious... *stabs self in hand* I know. My pathetic foreshadowing is pathetic. Oh woe is my story. ChiiRyeeBiee also decided to end with a cliffhanger too. *le prepares more empty buckets***

**I'm really sorry guys. I think exams are getting to me. I don't even know where I'm going with this right now and I figured, stuff it, lemme reveal who Him is before I go wacko.**

**CURSE ARCEUS I FINALLY FINISHED THIS THREE-MONTH WORK IN PROGRESS CHAPTER! Wait for November to come and I'll update both my ongoing stories.**

**I hate school.**

**Well, hasta la pasta, I guess. Please don't hate me. ChiiRyeeBiee, outto!**


	6. Always Here

**I LIED.**

**Privet everyone! ChiiRyeeBiee here. GUESS WHO'S FINALLY FREE FROM HIGHSCHOOL~? *looks at everyone with supposedly-furtive anticipation* Yup! It's... the guy next door! :D Trololol xD! Now wait till I get to university... *excessive frowning* Hello independence...**

**Anyway, here is ze VERY LATE promised chapter that I said I would post around "this time" (cough cough November) after my exams. I apologize if it's late. I kept deleting the stupid drafts I made of this chapter since I wanted to make it perfect, not some half-assed jumble of words crammed together in less than a week. Uggh. My head hurts from facewalling the whole time for ideas. Boohoo me.**

**I don't own Kingdom Hearts brahs. My characters have been slightly OOC from the start so I apologize if that bothers you too.**

**I hope you guys like it anyway~! Things are getting a little complicated and I hope I pulled it off with my... err... shabby writing skills. I suck at angst, hence the fact I usually stick to the fluff genre. You guys are awesome!**

**Do svidaniya, and I wish Smile A Little, Will Ya Chapter Six is your perfect pick! (Yes. I couldn't be bothered finding a better rhyming word so I opted for that one. Let it sink in your mind and ruin it for a while xD)**

* * *

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Smile A Little, Will Ya?

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

~Chapter Six: Always Here~

"Ventus..."

Roxas stood there — saddened, silent, shaking his mop of blonde hair around as if it would make his thoughts go away. A lone tear cascaded down what was once an impassive face, now littered with emotions of grief and regret. His confident stance was a nervous posture: pale hands clenching violently, threatened to pull at flaxen strands; lips quivering under hooded eyes, shut tightly to escape reality.

Sora didn't know what to do.

Just when the brunette thought the worst was about to happen, Roxas straightened up, realizing where he was and who he was with. Blue eyes dilated and focused on his friend's expression before he hung his head down, scalded, avoiding Sora's gaze. The blonde tightened his grip on the charm and hugged it close to himself.

Sora approached his friend warily, holding out a hand to rest on his shoulder. "Roxas, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine... Don't worry about me." Roxas managed to reply in a whisper. He looked up to meet worried azure orbs, nodding to express his stable state.

Sora understood immediately. Instead of asking about the situation and causing any more tension, he smiled, grabbing hold of Roxas' hand and heading off with him before the sun disappeared into the night. Their journey home was quiet compared to their beach walk. There was simply nothing to say as they listened in to the cries of the wind, voicing its imminent presence.

The vast orange sky had eventually darkened to a nimbus ultramarine hue with the absence of the Destiny sun. The first stars were yet to be seen, and the moon remained faint at its peak. Roxas and Sora stayed close to each other on way back to the brunette's home. Riku stood by the Sora's doorstep, fiddling with the plant nearby as he waited. When aquamarine eyes met the sight that was his best friend and the other blonde weirdo, he threw them a nonchalant wave.

"What took you guys so long? I was gonna run out to find you soon since the sun had just set." Seeing Sora grinning back innocently cued Riku to roll his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, you guys needed some_ alone time... _pfft. It's why we left early, you see." He ran a hand through his silver hair apathetically.

"HEY! That's not what—!"

"Save it for someone who will believe you, Sora." The silver-haired teen countered. "It's getting cold out here and so is our dinner. Nam and Kai are inside." He gestured to the door.

Sora pouted, blowing Riku an irritated raspberry. "Jerk bastard." He glimpsed back at Roxas who remained unsettlingly silent, eyeing the green charm and contemplating.

"You, uhh, wanna come in, Roxas? I think I smell mashed potatoes. There's room for one more, right Ri?"

"Hmph. Auntie and Uncle decided to throw a potato party. Mum and Dad made potato salad and the girls' parents opted for fried kebab sticks. Guess it wouldn't hurt if he was invited."

The blonde directed his attention to the duo before shaking his head in refusal. "I-It's getting late. I... I ought to be going b-before it gets t-terribly dark." Clouds were stretching out from the night horizon and back, tinting the sky with a greyish-like smog. Oh darn. Looks like a storm cloud. Roxas really had to go home soon if he wanted to avoid the coming rain.

"Oh. Well, uhh. I can come with you if that's al—"

"Don't." He replied back, his voice firm. It made Sora flinch, wary of the hinted malice. Roxas shook his head again, speaking gentler this time. "I don't want your friends to worry about you. I'll be fine by myself."

"But—"

"I'll be fine, Sora. I'm not a child. I can defend myself well enough." He exchanged glances with Riku who silently promised to keep Sora from following him. After some time the younger boy finally complied.

"Okay then. Have a good night." Sora muttered, throwing his arms around the blonde. Don't surround yourself in negativity, he wanted to say, but the boy kept his mouth shut. "I hope someday you can tell me what's going on." Smiling, the twinkle in Sora's azure orbs were hopeful and compassionate. Roxas quietly agreed in their embrace.

Being the third wheel in the middle of a horrible touchy-feely moment made Riku want to gouge his eyes out with his own nails. He made nerve-wracking gagging sounds, frowned to himself and purposely choked on oxygen to erase the horror from his short-term memory. "I have been scarred for life. And trust me, I have seen many things that cannot be unseen and that was the worst one yet."

Sora punched him on the shoulder. "Shaddup. You do that again and I'll make you see more disturbing things. Not to mention, hit you with something harder than my fist, you goon." He stuck his tongue out at the guy before disappearing inside to find the twins, leaving Riku and Roxas still standing at the porch. "Nami! Kai! Save some food for meeeee~!"

The first few fallen droplets, ice cold and rapid as they were, signalled the coming of a terrible storm. The hushed echoes of thunder foreboded a vicious crescendo in due time. Roxas was just about to leave when Riku approached the grouchy blonde, his approving smile barely visible under the dimmed streetlight.

"You know I was kidding yeah? About the scarring thing." He chuckled to himself. "Sora and I — we, err, go a long way back. He's used to my constant ridicule." His attention turned to kicking at the non-existent pebbles on the ground with scuffed-out sneakers. "I usually don't say this to others but I really don't hate you, bro. You're not bad at all. Thanks man, for looking out for Sora. I really appreciate it."

All Roxas could do was stare back with an undecipherable expression. He wasn't sure the guy was being completely genuine, blinking away his disbelief.

Riku scoffed when he received no reply. "Don't take this as a reinforcement though. I'm still on to you. He's a sensitive guy, so if you do something off the black list, you're gonna get it. But thanks. Anyway. For now. Yeah... Well. Umm. Yeah."

"...Sure."

The two teens looked up to admire the coming storm clouds, their hair disheveled from the devious fall of drizzle.

"I'm not pulling your leg or anything. I'm really glad you're not abusing his friendship. He's the type to care so much about people even if it hurts him." Riku shielded his hair from the rain with a hand. "He's always doing the giving, never the receiving. Hard to believe a guy like him exists in this world but when Sora cares, he really does."

"Hn. Tell me about it. That tenacity of his is neverending..." The blonde chipped in, his grip on the goodluck charm tightening once more. It was true. Everyone he knew who claimed to care about him never stuck around like he did. They got tired of him, gave up, never fought hard enough to stay. Not Sora. The guy was still around, the weirdo.

He tried to push Sora away but he never left his side, that fateful day when the guy decided to make him smile. Sora was really just like Ven. Ever the fighter. A peacemaker, an annoying yet endearing ray of sunshine. A constant presence in his life, a friend, a brother, someone... worth living for. Just like his twin who loved him as much as an older brother could. He was always looking out for him. Always taking care of him. Always... there.

"Well, Sora's always been like that. Helpful. But seems to me that you're a special case, like Nami and Kai and I have been saying." Riku admitted. "It surprised me, actually. Who'd have thought little Sor could smile even more than he can? No offence or anything, but I can't believe it's coming from you, the master of all things gloomy. Seriously, no offence."

"None taken." Roxas said, bagging the charm and taking out a handy fold-out umbrella in exchange. "Sometimes I wonder that myself. There was once a day when I was living a quiet lonely life, then the next... I'm surrounded by the lunacy of an annoying brunette who's been changing my life... for the better. I'm... I'm not sure I'm even worth all that trouble."

"You are if that annoying brunette is Sora." The silverette pointed out. "He's like super glue. Sticking his nose into everyone else's business. You can't rub him off easily, once you're involved with guy. Harsh, really." he said, holding out a hand. The Twilight Town teen gladly took it, hnn'ing all the while before hitting the streets for home. "Well, take care on the road, bro. Not that Destiny's that dangerous of a place at night but you never know. Plus this rain is a drag. Don't get sick or Sora'll have my head."

Roxas nodded. "I'll be fine. Say hi to the girls for me."

"Yeah. See you man. You sure you don't want to come in?"

"I've got things to do. If I stay, I can't leave if the weather worsens."

Riku shrugged. "True. Sora wouldn't mind you sleeping over but alright. Stay safe then."

And with that, Roxas was off. Riku watched the blonde turn the corner out of their street, the guy's rucksack lazily swung around his shoulder. The showering rain continuously pelted against the concrete road, leaving no surface dry. The silverette just missed the coming flash of lightning as he reentered Sora's home to grab his own fill of potato salad. "I'm raiding the fridge if you took my share! Sora! Kairi! Leave my salad ALONE!"

**~o~**

Roxas ran until he crashed into his house door, going against his moral of keeping it intact. He slammed it from the inside and sunk down on the floor, catching his breath in desperate gulps of air. Sodding rain. Even with his umbrella providing little protection from the weather, his clothes were drenched from head to toe. Hmph. Twilight Town was never dark and stormy like this. Sitting alone with his back against the door in a pitch black room made the atmosphere all the more gloomy.

Damn it. He almost broke down out there, In public, in front of Sora nonetheless. Damn that Hayner for bringing up the past like that. Damn him for bringing him his brother's goodluck charm. He left it at home for a reason; couldn't bare to touch it, his twin's most prized possession. But now it was here. With him. In his very possession. Not in the room he shared with Ven.

Ven... His extremely doting, ever-so-annoying, very-present-yet-inevitably-absent Sora-like twin brother. Even in his absence he managed to make Roxas worry, make Roxas think irrationally about whether or not he was still coming back like he promised everytime he left home. Stupid extrovert brother of his. But now he was gone for good and he still couldn't help but hope that it wasn't true. Did his mother begin cleaning their room up? Was she already moving on? For a year and a half the place remained untouched, that is, until he decided to lock himself inside, slowly building up the walls of his empty, useless heart. Cleaning it up meant Ventus was really gone. There was no way he was ever coming back.

He took out the charm from his bag, noting the small scratches here and there under the quick flashes of lightning from when his twin brought it everywhere with him. To the movies, to his soccer games, the game center, their favourite park. It should have come with him to... wherever he was right now, but for some reason it didn't. It couldn't.

The goodluck charm was Ven's. A symbol that Roxas and he would never be apart. But now he was gone and the charm was with Roxas, spiting him, laughing at him, _he's really gone and you have no power to change that._ Damn that Hayner for giving it to him. Damn his brother for leaving him alone.

...

_"I'm off Roxas! Be back soon!"_

_"Hey Rox, I'm going out. Wait for me when you make dinner, okay?"_

_"Roxy! Gotta go now. See you later, yeah?"_

_"Good...night, bro-ther. Throw...p-p-pillow y-you...mor-ning."_

_..._

"Ventus... I miss you..._ so much..._" He sobbed, tracing over the star-shaped treasure. Why'd he have to go, world... Why'd heaven have to take away the person who meant to him the most... It wasn't fair... There was so much life his brother had missed out on...

The weather outside had suddenly worsened to match the blonde's current mood, with the wind thrashing around against the trees and the rain pelting violently against his glass windows. The sky was crying with him, but he had no idea. It grieved with him for his losses, even when Roxas was unaware of its presence.

Images of equally blonde hair and cerulean eyes bombarded his mind once more: his only brother, his twin, disappearing from the face of the earth. A ghastly figure, his face obstructed and undecipherable, a body embraced by the colour black.

Roxas remembered things; memories, or were they just figments of his imagination? A shadow, his brother, slipping away from his hold as angel wings began to take him away, far away, into the sky where he belonged. Flashbacks of himself and his elder twin — smiling, laughing, _eating, hugging, touching,_ BREATHING, LOVING, **LIVING** until he'd realize that _this was all in the past _and **itWOULDNEVERHAPPENAGAIN** because He was _gone_, gone gone **GONE** and He would never, _ever_ come back. And then reality would yell to him that this was all his fault: if he HAD been there, he could have stopped it; if he WERE there to catch him, He wouldn't have fallen to the depths of eternal sleep.

But then his thoughts would take a turn from what's left of his cold heart to sunny rainbows; the ones that come out after a terrible and destructive storm. Stratus clouds would fade into clear skies, azure blue like someone's eyes. White shining wings would embrace him, just holding him near, guided by whispers of nonsensical words stringed into promises of love and eternal happiness._ He's not gone. He's still here. He's with me, and I'm with you. I'll always be with you. So don't cry anymore because I'll never leave you alone. Smile._

In a lone house by the wooden entrance door, a broken soul drifts off to sleep in a puddle of his tears and his rain-dampened clothes. He didn't need anyone to hold or declarations of love and eternal happiness. He didn't need protection, riches and fame, or even his biggest dreams to come true. He just really, really wanted his dead brother back.

He couldn't change things now. He was gone. _He'd always be gone. _He was nothing more and would be nothing more but a soul which death took away.

**~o~**

Monday morning found Sora Leonhart sulking back into his covers, not because of the chilly gale the weather girl guaranteed would be around today or the lack of sleep he'd gotten from overthinking. He'd barely started his Biology report on the phases of meiosis last night as he was worried about what this week would bring. Naminé and Kairi specifically instructed him to give Roxas some alone time, giving him an opportunity to further figure out his next plan.

The dinner on Saturday was a blast. He was sure he'd eaten three sacks worth of lovely potatoes on that night alone. The only thing that could have made it better was if Roxas had stayed over. He remembered listening to the destruction of the storm outside - the neverending showers of rain, the tumultuous crackling of thunder. He wanted to call Roxas to see if he made it home but Naminé and Kairi forbade him to do so.

The obvious withdrawal, they claimed, was a wordless indication to leave him alone for a while. He couldn't call or visit, talk to or even think about bothering the guy. _Roxas needs space and you will give him that space,_ Naminé instructed him firmly. What was he supposed to do now? Go back to his everyday life? Come to think of it, he hadn't done anything without Roxas ever since he vowed to help the blonde out. The emotionless Strife teen made things more interesting, as paradoxical as that sounded to others.

In all seriousness, he had no idea what had happened after meeting with that Hayner dude. Why was Roxas acting so distant again? Was it something he said? Did it have something to do with that goodluck charm he received? Whose was it? Why were he and Hayner not friends anymore? He'd been tempted to ask but knew it wouldn't be smart. His curious nature begged him to figure it out, and that bothered him so very much. He didn't know anything.

It was then that Sora began to wonder who Roxas really was and what he was like before he knew the guy. Sure, he knew the Twilight High student, claimed to be friends with him even, and heck, they just had a 'secret-exchanging' conversation that Saturday so they would get to know each other better. Was the Strife teen always a pessimistic, anti-social individual or did something happen to make him this way? He didn't dare pry into Roxas' life, but if whatever was in the blonde's head was affecting him this much, then it was his responsibility to change the way his friend saw the situation and help him get through it.

A disapproving hand reached out for his notebook sitting in the middle of his plush toys. He was supposed to start Phase Thirteen soon, but how could he do that if he wasn't even allowed to see the older boy?

_"Never stopped you before, now has it?"_ He imagined his conscience saying to himself. Tch. If he gave up now, how was he supposed to see his plan through? Difficult or not, he had to help Roxas. They were friends, and friends never gave up on each other, no matter how complicated or impossible their problems were. His next plan was worth a shot, or at least according to Mr Bunnykins, the same yellow bunny he received from Roxas, urging him on with a determined button gaze.

"Okay, okay fine. I'll do it. Now stop staring at me like that, it's not nice." He glared back, blue eyes travelling across the others. Froggy McGreen did not want him to give up. Piggersbie was oinking encouraging words at him. And Yankee... pfft. Yankee was still asleep, facedown on the mattress. _Thanks a lot for the support, you lazy chicken._

Well, time to get up. He had a friend to begladden, freezing weather or not. If he failed, he'd try again. And if he succeeded, well, he'd be glad to have tried so hard.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

How to Make Roxas Smile: a checklist of how to make my beloved friend happy! Part 5

_13) Meow! Woof! Tweet! I think we should visit a local pet shop to see a dozen of cute faces! Interacting with baby animals always makes me happy!_

_14) I wonder if he likes music. I'll sing a cool song just for him in the upcoming school talent show! Woopdedoo! I have just the song...!_

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Roxas was not at school, and it made Sora's mood sullen, dropping to a few measures of happiness every period passing by. Riku even made him his own special recipe of chicken fillet for lunch to cheer him up and he'd forked it all to himself, much to the girls' disappointment. It was kind of weird hearing his teachers pause in rollcall when they finally reached Roxas' name. The empty seat beside him felt melancholic and his aura came in awful eerie waves.

"Just you wait, Sor. We'll pay him a visit and offer him a knuckle sandwich if that'll cheer you up."

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Are you sure you'd want to walk all the way there just to do something so stupid in this... brr... freezing weather? No way you'd be that industrious, you lazy bastard."

"Hey, I cooked for all of us, didn't I? That's a change! You should be proud of me, Kairi."

"Oh hardly. What if Roxas is just sick? It is too cold to be out here."

"I told the guy not to get sick. Look at Sora now. He's the perfect picture of Droopy the Dog in TV."

The red-haired girl smacked Riku square on the forehead. "Riku! You can't just say that about Sora! And just because you told a guy not to get sick doesn't mean he could control it now, can he?"

"It made sense to me."

The four were tarrying back to their homes, their shoes scuffing against the frosty grass. Sora snuggled in between his friends as they walked closely together, huddling.

Naminé threw her scarf around the brunette. "Roxas wouldn't skip a class if he was anything but not feeling well. We'll see him tomorrow, kay Sora? He's not avoiding you again and you did nothing wrong, alright?"

"Hnn..."

A sullen Sora wasn't the best Sora to hang out with, that's for sure.

The weather refused to improve as icy winds swept past the trees closeby, making everything just a little bit colder than it should be. Destiny Village hadn't been this frigid since the winter blast years ago. The silverette had even taken out his sports jacket to drape over the twins for more warmth.

Along the way the blue-eyed brunette thought he had heard a pitiful cry for help. Pausing in his tracks, Sora searched around for its source, breaking free from their protective huddle.

_"Meow. Meow. Meow."_

The mew was coming from the left somewhere. It was faint, but he could hear it.

_"Meow. Meow. Meow."_

It was getting closer. Just to the left some more. Where is it coming from?

Naminé had called out after their youngest best friend. "Sora? What's wrong?"

"I hear a cat's meow. I think it needs help. Help me find it?" He replied, still alert about his surroundings. The thickening mist had made the way home hard to see, including everything else around them.

"Okay then..." Riku nodded off, exchanging baffled looks with a pair of sapphire orbs. They split up and lent a hand (or in this case, an ear) in searching for this mysterious cry for help.

Kairi had reacted first, jumping up and almost skidding against the grass on her knees. "Oh my gosh. Guys, come here! I think I found it!"

Following her voice, the three gathered together. They eyed the object in front of the red-haired girl, cocking their heads in curiosity. "What is it, Kai? What did you find?"

Just under a bench around their home residence was a box covered with blankets, a note with yesterday's date written on it taped to the side. "Please take care of us," it read, a crying face doodled as the post script. Sora gasped in horror when Kairi opened the box, revealing two starving kittens curled up around each other.

"For the love of all things good, who would do such a _thing?!_" Naminé wailed, getting on her knees and picking up the greyish-furred cat. Exhausted blue eyes blinked back at her.

"They probably didn't know today would be such awful weather." Riku said crossly. "Still, leaving them under a park bench like this. One of our neighbours must have been hella lazy to go to town and leave them with the adoption center. Cruel bastards."

Kairi cuddled the ginger-furred one to her chest, taking out her scarf and wrapping it around the poor animal. "Nam and I can't keep pets. Mom's allergic and Dad's not a cat person. He thinks they'll mess up his precious rock collection."

"Diana won't be happy about two cats, either." The aquamarine-eyed teen joined in, shaking his head at the thought of his moody cockatoo. This left Sora to adopt them, but he wasn't sure if he could take care of two kittens simultaneously. There was no way he'd leave them at the adoption center for he didn't trust anyone else to be responsible enough for them. Bending down to collect the box, he made his decision.

"I guess I'll be in charge of them." He sighed sympathetically. "We gotta hurry home though. They're shivering, and so am I. Since we're at the park, our street must be just metres away. Let's go!"

Riku, Sora and the girls ran home with the two kittens safe in their arms. Upon their arrival at Sora's place, they turned up the thermostat and hauled out some spare blankets to cover themselves in. Being experienced with pets, Riku got on to prepare some food for their new friends whilst the azure-eyed teen pacified the mewling animals. They were given warm baths, friendly cuddles and their own makeshift kitty bed. After immediate feeding, the cats huddled closely and dozed off on Sora's lap, thankfully safe and sound.

An hour or two later, Kairi and Naminé had to head for home, the girls worried about their current homework load and their parents summoning them for dinner. Riku stuck around for a while more before he too had to go to check on Diana. He was worried about Sora's insistence to visit Roxas the minute they leave, regardless of the horrible conditions outside.

"Now that we've established that telling a person to avoid getting sick doesn't work, you are going to stay home like you should. Plus, didn't Kairi and Nam instruct you to leave Roxas alone? And what about that art project of yours that's due in less than two weeks? May as well get on with it, Sor." Riku pointed out sternly. Sora wasn't fazed by his strict façade.

"But you wouldn't tell them, right? I'll make sure to wear lots of coats when I go." He promised, petting the kittens before placing them one by one into their bed-converted box. "Roxas doesn't just skip school like he did, and I'm worried about that. Plus, I eat a lot. There's enough Vitamin C in my system to keep me strong against this wind."

Riku shook his head disappointedly, his face buried in his hands. "Nothing I say will convince you otherwise now, right?" He stood up, making his way to the door. "You better not leave the kittens alone or you'll get a headslap from me." The silverette sighed deeply. "And no, I won't tell Nami and Kai. Now go before it gets dark. I'll call in later to check on you."

The blue-eyed brunette beamed at his eldest best friend, running towards him for a quashing hug. "Gaww Riku, you're the awesomest!" He mumbled, nuzzling his face into the guy's shoulder. Riku tried to pry the guy off him.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Now get the heck off me. I don't do hugs. They're not manly."

Sora laughed. "You and your perfect image. You're just as bad as Roxas, but with your manliness rather than your hair." He said, putting on two coats and covering the kittens with an old fleece baby blanket. He carried the box with him before taking a step out the door where the aquamarine-eyed guy was standing.

"Don't compare me to Mr Know-It-All. I am 100% _awesomer_ than he is." Riku boasted. "Take care of yourself and the cats. I'd keep them if I hadn't a selfish bird to live with. So much better than a pet that can't openly mock you by name, you know?"

They parted ways at Sora's door — Riku off to his home and Sora making a journey towards Roxas'. He hoped the blonde wouldn't mind him dropping by uninvited for the third time. Plus he had kittens with him, and the Roxas he knew wasn't cruel enough to lock him out. Looks like Phase Thirteen will be a little different than he planned it to be. He just wished the blonde was doing fine at home.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

**Commencing Phase Thirteen: Meow, meow! Presenting the _Purrfect_ Company!**

Roxas had been shivering in bed for last two days. He'd woken up in a dampened mess in front of his door that Sunday, and with his cortisol levels constantly higher than normal, it was unavoidable for him to catch the flu. He'd been too exhausted to even grab himself a bowl of food, let alone find his medicine box, meaning he'd possibly be sick for the whole week with his weakening immune system.

Everytime he caught the flu, which was rare in itself, his mother or twin would always look after him with bowls of congee and sticks of incense through the magic of aromatherapy. Ven would fetch him ice packs and put on classical music while his mother read him stories. He didn't care much of their excessive doting when he was sick. Roxas would never admit it but he liked being taken care of; he liked cuddles and lullabies and the usual kisses on his forehead. He was, after all, the baby of the house (even though Ventus was the more childish twin) and that would never change.

But now he was all alone in his home with no one to rely on, all grown up and independent like he believed himself to be. His mother was back at Twilight Town and his brother... gone as he'd always been. He didn't need anyone to take care of him - he'd done so himself for the past five months. And sure, there was Sora who would stop at nothing to help out, but he wasn't here and the cerulean-eyed boy wouldn't dare call him for help now.

_Sora... _Roxas wondered how he was doing. Probably worried sick about him, the weirdo, always caring so much. Selfless, sweet, sympathetic Sora. He hadn't heard his phone ring for the past two days, so the guy must have been busy or he just didn't think to call. Which was good. He really had no idea what to say to the boy, not after declining the brunette's dinner invitation and shooing him away with his rotten attitude.

He just had to ruin everything now, hadn't he?

And speaking of ruined, his semantic train of thought was shattered at the sound of his front door being pounded into oblivion. "Roxaaaaaaas! Open up! Are you home? Roxaaaaaaas, I brought something in! Please respond, it's rather cold out here!"

"W-What in the w-world..." The blonde shot a hand out of his duvet to feel around for tissues. Darn flu. He urged himself to get up and let the azure-eyed teen in, for the sake of his pitiful door and the freezing outdoors. Destiny Village was an eyeful for several weather changes. It made him miss Twilight and the things he'd left and lost along the way, to the path of complete independence and his supposedly new beginning.

"Roxaaaaaaas! 'M cold! Are you alright in there? I'm sorry for dropping by uninvited again! I was just worried about you! Roxaaaaaaaas!"

"So l-loud..." He mumbled, using the last of his strength to put control back to his voluntary muscles. "_Uuuggh.._.'M coming, S-Sor-_haa-hachoo!_"

The Twilight Town teen trudged lazily towards his door, wheezing and breathing heavily in every troublesome step he took. Even reaching out for the doorknob deemed a challenge for the blonde. After much fiddling for the right keys the entryway was opened, welcoming in a gust of wind that brought him to shivers.

His happy-go-lucky brunette friend greeted him an eager smile. "Roxas! You're okay!" It faded away at the sight of the older boy's normally perfect hair tousled into a state of unkemptness, the bags under Roxas' red eyes strictly visible.

"H-hello to y-you too. _Nnggh._"

"Alright, maybe you're not okay. Roxas, you look _terrible._" The younger sixteen year old looked at him once over, holding a large box between one arm and his shoulder while the other hand performed a check for Roxas' temperature. Well, his friend definitely had a fever. The girls were right, like they always were. He let out a sigh of relief, knowing Roxas was here and physically (well, not really, but still) okay.

"Wh-whaa-what are you d-doing here... It's f-freezing outside... _Uggh..._ need tissues." The sunshine-haired boy sniffed, taking a few laborious steps in search for said box of tissues.

"Can I come in? I brought in something to make you smile but it turns out you're awfully sick with a fever. I'm sorry I bothered you. At least let me help out."

"Nnnggggh. L-Lock the door behind y-you... too c-cold outsi-si-_haa-hachoo!_"

A sneeze or two later and the boys were both sitting at the couch, the cerulean-eyed teen curled up against one of his throw pillows and Sora minding the box he came in with. The cats were still thankfully snoring away in their makeshift bed, cold-free and comfortable.

Roxas looked like death, which wasn't nice to say about someone who was sick but he had no other word to describe it. Sora reckoned the blonde hadn't been able to see a doctor yet if he couldn't even travel between his living room and his bedroom properly. He couldn't understand how Roxas could be so... independent for the lack of another word. The guy should have called. But then again, he couldn't even find the tissue box he sought out for. Poor, poor Roxy.

The latter was still shivering on the other side of the couch, trying not to wheeze as loudly to prevent Sora from worrying so much. Before he knew it, he felt a polyester blanket drape over him, taking away just a little bit of the cold. It strangely smelled of chocolate and fabric conditioner, just like Sora's scent.

"I brought one in for emergencies. It's a good thing Riku told me to even if I thought I wouldn't need it." Sora walked over to the kitchenette to find a dishcloth and a bowl of ice water for Roxas' forehead. "Can I make you something to eat? Is hot chocolate good enough or you want actual food? I hope you don't mind me using the kitchen."

"'M fine w-with anything... _Nnggh... _Just... w-want to s-sleep..._c-coooold_."

Sora grinned back endearingly. "Well, okay then. Mom's special recipe of get-well-soon porridge it is. Don't worry, Roxy. You'll be better in no time."

**~o~**

With food in his stomach, disgusting medicine, a warm blanket and some company to look after him, Roxas felt much better, if not for his constant wheezing, coughing and sneezing like there was no tomorrow. Getting sick meant relying on people and he promised himself not to do so as much as he could. But Sora was Sora, and he was actually really glad his friend came over. Back in Twilight he'd be left alone by Hayner, Pence and Olette at this once-in-a-lifetime show of ultimate weakness for fear he'd be ten times grouchier and bad-tempered than his usual snobbish self. And of course, there was their fear of catching the flu as well.

Compared to Sora who was somehow unafraid of his moodswings, he wasn't sure if he even had any real friends. Excepting his dearest twin brother who loved him unconditionally, that is._ Oh Ven... _What would life be like, he wondered, if his twin were really still here? Roxas wouldn't be thinking his very thoughts, that's for sure. That was another stupid thing about getting sick. There was so much time present to think about the meaning of life and so little time spent doing actual important stuff. Curse sicknesses and weakening immune systems. He still had a History essay to complete.

"Roxy? You feeling a little better?" Sora asked, plopping himself to his left and performing another temperature check.

"Mhhmm. Thanks for b-being here. I'd probably r-rot in my own m-misery if you didn't come over. _Hachoo! _Uggh."

The azure-eyed boy graced him with another smile. With both hands he took Roxas' into his own, rubbing his fingers with a delicate thumb and warming them up with his love. "Sure thing! Hehe. It was the least I could do. I'm sorry you had to get so sick. I blame myself for not being assertive enough to invite you over for dinner."

Roxas had a brief coughing fit. "D-d-don't do that. I left on m-my-_haa-hachoo!_-my own. I'm just glad you're h-here to keep me company n-now."

"Okay." The Leonhart teen nodded, snuggling with Roxas to keep him just a little bit warmer. And just like that, the blonde's house, half empty and uninhabitable, didn't seem so dark and lonely as Roxas thought it to be.

"Need anything else? I can turn the tv on, maybe some music? I got binaural beats for sleeping saved in my phone. I could help around the house too. How about some dishwashing? I don't mind sweeping the kitchenette either." He let go of Roxas after a third temperature check, determined to get on with his chores. Roxas refused, shaking his head as softly as he could and patting the spot next to him.

"N-no. No more helping. Y-You've done enough a-already, so just stay w-with me for a while."

"Are you sure?"

"S-Stay. 'M freezing. Come closer and j-just stay."

Sitting back down, Sora agreed. "Alright. Just staying here. Easy-peasy." He leaned against his ill friend's shoulder, not the least bit concerned of catching the flu himself. He knew it, the big buffoon. Roxas was a closet softie. It was kind of cute, seeing the normally stoic boy let his guard down completely, sneezing and coughing and shivering to himself. Just as Sora thought it, the older boy began to wheeze once more.

"You know, you're much more of a cuddler when you're sick. It's kind of nice."

"Oh shut-_h-hachoo!_-up." Roxas sniffed coldly, almost hesitant to accept the tissue the brunette had handed him. Sick or not, he was still the same Roxas and his uber-cuddling trait should be locked away from the rest of the world. He heard the mocking giggles of his companion and wheeze-growled in reply. "'Mmean it. Ngh. T-Too loud. H-head hurts."

"Okay, okay. Sorry. I'll stay silent. Just go to sleep then. I'll be here when you need me."

"Nnggnmf."

Sora giggled again, more quietly this time. Roxas should definitely get sick more often. And when it happens, he'd be there to help him out again. It was nice knowing the blonde needed him around.

"Meow. Mreoww. Mew."

Oh, the little kitties were waking up. Moving very, very slowly, the chocolate-haired boy got up on his feet and began tiptoeing towards the kittens' box. Roxas was already snoring. Sora folded the blanket covering the box and carefully opened up the lid to reveal green and blue pairs of eyes, the cats mewling with excitement upon seeing him.

"Meww! Mreoww! Mew meow mmreow!"

"Shhh... Little kittens, my friend's asleep. You have to be a little quieter." Sora pleaded.

The grey cat was jumping up, trying to escape its confinement. "Mew. Meow meow. Mew." The brunette lifted it out, only to find it slipping back down towards the carpet in search for something interesting to play with.

"Little kitty! Oh crap, please don't scratch at the carpet; Roxy'll get mad!"

"Mew." Its blue eyes had spotted a target — another human covered in what seemed to be the softest looking blanket ever. The ginger cat was clawing at the box, its weight eventually tipping it to the side, freeing the kitten.

Sora had almost panicked when he saw the blue-eyed kitten climbing up at Roxas' blanket. The blonde had stirred slightly, causing the kitty to purr back. The ginger one, not that much innocent compared to the grey-furred feline, proceeded to nip at his own sock, green eyes round and curious.

Mischievous little pets. He picked them up gently and collected the two in the box, petting their heads with a finger. Roxas shuffled in his corner on the couch, groaning.

"W-Why you meowing, S-S-Sora?" He whispered, a cerulean eye peeking out from one eyelid. Yikes. Noisy little kitties. Biting his lip, the younger boy sat himself down, the cats purring and meowing at him for attention.

"Umm, I kinda...err, didn't come alone the minute I walked inside." Sora said guiltily. Instead of finding himself in a knot trying to think of a better explanation, he picked up the grey kitten and showed it to the ill blonde. Both cerulean orbs eyed the cat with fond interest.

"My friends and I found kittens near our residence." The brunette said. "It was freezing outside and someone had abandoned them, so we took them in and nursed them back to health. They're pretty active for previously frail cats. I didn't know you'd be sick, but I wanted to show them to you. I was wondering if you...err... wanted one for yourself."

The kitten had hopped out of Sora's hand and back onto Roxas' blanket, pawing at the fabric before giving up and lying back down. Wheezing, the sunshine-haired teen let a hand cautiously wander out of the blanketed warmth and patted the feline on its back.

"I think this kitten likes you. This green-eyed one's a little shyer." Sora showed him the aforementioned ginger kitten. It mewled and hid its eyes behind its paws.

"Meew."

"Hey now, little one. This is Roxas. There's no need to be scared. He's a friend." Roxas tried to say hello back but it came out as a cough, frightening the little one even more. The blue-eyed brunette chuckled and cuddled with it until it calmed down. The other kitten was rather enjoying its new human bed.

"Never h-had a pet b-before. Always wanted one." Sneezing, he picked the grey-furred cat with shaky hands before drawing it closer to his face. "How 'm I s'pposed to t-take care of it when I'm aa-_hachoo!_-at school?"

"Meow."

"Well, according to Riku, cats are pretty independent and sleep most of the day. He's not sure about kittens, though. As long as there's food and some toys, he said they'll be just fine."

As if it knew what they were talking about, the blue-eyed kitten scrunched its nose and fluttered its innocent sea-coloured eyes at Roxas in an attempt to gain the blonde's affection. When that didn't work it started to cry until it was pacified by a beloved belly rub.

"Mreow! Mew mew meow!"

"Hn. How can I say n-no to this thing. 'S too adorable." Roxas brought the cat back inches from his face and nuzzled the little kitty with his nose. He sneezed again.

"Okay, m-maybe I s-shouldn't do that till I'm well enough." His new pet seemed to agree with a Meow! Meow! Meow!

**~o~**

With his nap time cancelled, Roxas busied himself with entertaining a new member of his family, one that he decided to name Blue as a credit to its sparkly, loveable eye colour. Sora had called the other kitten Whiskers for self-explanatory reasons. He watched the two kittens pounce at everything they saw while he sipped himself a warm mug of hot chocolate, the Leonhart teen picking up after the mischievous baby felines. His home had never felt so lively in all his five months of living in it.

Determined to do something productive after two days of nothing and a newfound energy, he got up and did his best to complete his withstanding homework, much to the brunette's worry. Blue had wondered in his room, the clever kitten, pawing at his clothes until Roxas took her by the arms and rested her on his lap. He could hear Sora asking for permission to make them both dinner, which frankly, he had no problems with. Soon he could slightly smell, despite his sodding cold, the sweet aroma of curry rice wafting through the cracks of his ajar bedroom door.

Another day over with the setting of the sun, Roxas tarried over to the living room to thank Sora for everything before sending the guy home in this late hour. He was still sniffling and reaching out for his handkerchief every once and a while, but otherwise, much better than yesterday. Blue had kept him company throughout his homework session and was currently sitting on his shoulder, listening in to his new human's cough-broken tale about how detestable Mr Even was. The blonde had been in the middle of Mr Even: The French Revolution Book Mishap Part Two when they stumbled upon the azure-eyed teen sleeping on his armchair, Whiskers napping on one of the leather armrests.

The dishes were done, the kitchenette tidier than ever and there was already a set plate with dinner waiting on the table. Sora must have fallen asleep with all the looking after him and the chores and of course, the earlier death-sentencing knowledge school just had to give him. Oh, and the pet sitting. Who wouldn't be exhausted after doing so much?

Roxas couldn't comprehend how this one individual could handle so many things - from charities, to sports, to deeply caring about people he wasn't on good terms with, to schoolwork, a good social life and the trouble of dealing with him. His friend was amazing. Then there was that awful feeling of guilt again — the one that ate him up for choosing to be crabby and feeling sorry for himself most of the time and for not even having the ability to repay the kindness and compassion Sora had shown him. Pure and undeniable guilt. Why him? Why not someone else? There was nothing special he had. He had little talent and his heart was long shattered, just another dreary soul inhabiting a boy's body.

"Meow meow."

Roxas was thinking the same thing. "Y-Yeah, you're right, B-Blue. There goes the sickness frying what's left of my b-brain cells after tha-_haa-hachoo!_-stinking essay. Uggh."

"Meow."

"Alright, I'm on it. C-Clever kitten, aren't you?" He extended an arm to shake the boy awake, but suddenly Roxas didn't have the heart do so. Sora looked way too comfortable. He'd be cruel to disturb the guy from his sleep, not when he was dozing off so effortlessly, a chocolate mop of hair falling to one side before unconsciously lolling back up again.

Picking up the borrowed polyester blanket from his couch, Roxas tiptoed over to his friend and draped it over him, carefully tucking him in. Blue had even helped by hopping down on the chair, tugging at the blanket corner to cover Whiskers as well.

"Good job, Blue. Now let's go. Wouldn't... _nggh..._ w-wanna wake him up."

The grey-furred cat scrunched her nose back, wailing. "Mew mew mmreow..."

If her sobbing was any indication, it seemed Blue didn't want to say goodbye. She snuggled in with Whiskers and nipped at the ginger kitten's ear, affectionately licking the other's fur. Hopeful blue eyes blinked back at her human with a fond gesture at Sora's direction.

Roxas bit down on his lip. "Okay. We'll both say g-goodbye and then we'll... _uggh..._ l-leave, yeah?"

"Mreooow."

Heh. Persuasive little kitty. They were going to be long time friends.

On second thought, Roxas was glad it was him. He was glad it wasn't someone else more talented or special, less dreary and moody and perfect unlike himself. This light was here in his home and he'd been too busy focusing at the negatives, the back-then's and the if-only's, the never's and the I'm-not-worth-it's. Maybe it was time for a change. Ven was gone. Sora was here. He couldn't lose another person that meant so much to him. If not to death, then he was close to losing Sora with his ignorance. After everything he's done, not once had the free-spirited teen asked for compensation, if only in the form of his happiness.

_"Hard to believe a guy like him exists in this world but when Sora cares, he really does."_

_"Just know you're not alone, yeah Rox? I couldn't do it, she couldn't do it, neither Pence or Olette could do it. Maybe he can though."_

_"I'm still here, Roxas. I'm everywhere!"_

_"I'm the one who wants to make sure they're not going to give up. Because they can't."_

_You can't give up, Roxas._

_You have to move on._

_You're not alone._

_I'm here._

Roxas bent down and leaned in closer to Sora, taking in his fainted familiar scent of warm cocoa and lilies. He'd taken a deep breath to avoid a violent coughing fit before resting his forehead against the other's. The fragments of his heart, or whatever was left of it, was slowly letting in a sliver of light through many of its several locked-up barriers. His friend, his ray of sunshine, his own goodluck charm. This time around, he'd look after him. This time around, he'd be a better friend to Sora.

Maybe even more if fate allowed it.

"What have I d-done to deserve you, Sora?" The blonde breathed, pale fingers combing through soft, silken strands of chocolate hair. The brunette's pink lips had parted slightly as he stirred, stretching an arm out of the blanket.

"No! Come back... Pizza... please! Don't... fly... awaaay... zZzZz."

Sweet, sympathetic, selfless and silly Sora. His best friend. His only friend. His.

Roxas had finished his dinner and closed up the curtains before dragging his favourite green duvet along to the couch. He wheezed inside the covers and coughed a little, earning a growl from Blue who was trying to sleep on his belly. Pfft. He'd blame it on the sickness. If the azure-eyed teen asked him what had happened that night, he'd say nothing else and blame it on the sickness, regardless of the blue-eyed kitten's mewling protests.

Maybe catching the flu wasn't so bad after all, at least, not with a little purrfect company to help him through it.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

**Commencing Phase Fourteen: Prepare Thy Altos: The Triumphantly Treblesome Talent Show!**

Sora Leonhart was undeniably talented.

Everyone who knew Sora Leonhart knew he was undeniably talented.

He was their school's sporting pride, an active member of several charities, an art student, a comedian, an all-round popular eleventh grader. He wasn't too bad at dancing, he liked to read on the off-occassion, he played soccer and hockey, lacrosse, basketball, even ping-pong if the table was available. He hadn't tried drama yet but there was a production coming up; something about green peas and twenty storey mattresses if he heard right.

So when the same Sora Leonhart had decided to join the school's annual talent quest, nobody was really surprised.

What was surprising to them however, was that this was this first year he'd be joining after three years of his life in Destiny College.

It was the third week of June and just two weeks before the end of their second semester. The first month of winter was absolutely freezing, with the once grassy field frozen over in icy frost and the air just as frigid, if not more, as an indoor refrigerator. Snow didn't fall in Destiny Village, much to the disappointment of the locals who would have loved to build snow forts and play snowball fights or participate in true winter sports like skiing or snowboarding.

The seniors and juniors of Destiny College were in the middle of preparing for their midterm examinations. To celebrate the end of a stressful time for both teachers and pupils, the school threw an annual talent quest, inviting students of all ages to broadcast their special abilities in front of the entire school community. Every year a formidable amount of applications came through the front office, and every year the best few selected by the Head of Art, Music and Technology had the chance to perform a unique act to their fellow schoolmates and all the staff. This very special day, as a result of all the fun involved, usually marked the end of term and was a festive day for everyone, complete with stalls, giant bouncy castles and the opportunity to wear a silly costume.

"Ooooh! It's going to be so _fun! _I'm thinking of dressing up as Ronald McDonald. You know, since I'm the class clown and everything. Ha ha!" Sora cried excitedly. Lunchtime had long gone and it was the last lesson of the day, which for Sora meant a free study period with Naminé according to their class schedules.

"Sora, I think you might scare everyone off with that outfit. You don't exactly suit a red afro wig and a yellow pair of pajamas. Although I guess you could pass off the enormous goofy shoes..." Naminé was working on piecing together a house model for her Graphics class. She was just about to apply the detachable roof when Sora spoke up again, giggling about the many ideas he had and brainstorming about a variety of class stall opportunities.

"How about a pirate? Arr! You know I'd be positively _arr-dorable_ with a wooden leg and a hook for a hand. Oooh! Maybe you can help me dress up! You and Kairi and really good with fabrics, right? You could make me a Sora-rific costume. Then Riku could be Peter Pan, Kai could be Wendy and you'll be Tinkerbell. How's that sound?"

"...And what about Roxas?"

"Oh. Err, right. I forgot he hasn't been with us for the other Destiny Festival days." The boy flipped over his Food Technology portfolio to find a free page. "Lemme see... Do you think he'll want to be my right hand man? You know that guy who's always with Captain Hook. I forgot his name... but yeah! He could wear a fake beard and a similar eye-patch to mine. Wait, does Captain Hook even wear an eye patch? Crap I dunno... okay maybe dressing up as pirates wouldn't be that awesome..." He tapped a pencil to his lips and thought harder. "I wonder who we could go as now..."

The aforementioned blonde teen had been more open to Sora's hang out invitations lately. Sure, he was still a little withdrawn, and he still kept that apathetic expression of his but otherwise, Roxas had been different somehow, at least after the day he came over to his house, brought him a new playmate and nursed him back to health from a terrible flu. Sora couldn't point his finger on it. All he knew was that Roxas had began picking him up early for school, began making him his very own lunch recipes and began calling him more often just to talk. It was kind of weird. But nice. And sweet. Riku and Roxas had even started hanging out to discuss the best pet stores for Blue and Diana's things.

But then there were days when the Twilight Town teen would completely lock himself out from the rest of the world to have some time to himself. Sora was never sure why but he could never reach Roxas on Thursday nights; he'd always receive the boy's voicemail and silence the next day when Roxas came to pick him up.

"Sora? Sora? Come on, love. Pay attention! You have five minutes to finish your project summary then you'll be done for Food Tech. Make sure to type this all up tonight and then you'll have only four more subjects to worry about." Naminé said.

Sora nodded, skimming over his portfolio and speedwriting before the end of the period. "Alright. But you do know I'll be at Riku's for some practice, right? He's gonna teach me how to play the guitar for the talent quest. My performance is going to be so _arr-wesome!_"

Naminé grinned all-too-knowingly. "Okay okay, no more pirate sounds. Hurry it up before bell time. After practice you boys better be doing Geography work or you won't have enough time for your other plans. School comes first, leisure second. Even if helping others is involved."

"Gaww. That's what Roxy says everytime. He doesn't even read novels anymore - only boring senior text books. Bleh." The sixteen year old made a faux gagging sound before picking up all his belongings in one pile.

When hometime had finally come, Sora and Naminé found Roxas waiting for them outside the study hall entrance, already holding Sora's school bag. He jogged over and lent a hand with the girl's model while the other two put away their belongings. At the sight of Roxas pampering her chocolate-haired best friend, the female blonde snickered to herself.

"My bag's not that heavy; I can hold it myself!"

"Oh, will you just let me carry it? You do understand you need functional shoulder muscles to play the guitar, right? Riku said so, so I'm not hearing anymore of this. What song are you going to be playing anyway?"

"Heh! That's for me to know and you to find out on the day. I don't know how to play guitar, but I'm going to learn how to so that I can totally rock the stage! I'd like to think of it as a surprise."

Roxas hnn'ed back, shaking his head at the Leonhart teen's antics. "You know I hate surprises."

"Aww~ but you won't hate this one! I P-R-O-M-I-S-E! And if you do, then I'll treat you to sea-salt ice cream bars everyday come spring. Deal?"

"Oh whatever. Just give me your bag already, you weirdo."

**~o~**

Riku and Kairi eventually met them at the school entrance before they all set off for the same home street destination. Roxas and the girls left for their own homes sooner or later, a fussy kitten and some school projects needing to be attended to.

As planned, the silverette invited his male best friend over for afternoon tea to tutor him with the guy's next plan.

"Seriously? You. Roxas. Serenading. Really, Sora? Of all things?" Riku huffed, swinging around his computer chair with a cookie in hand. He munched on it animalistically, as though said cookie was someone's stupid brunette head and it needed extreme brainwashing, or maybe in this case, utter destruction.

"Yeah, so? Don't you think it's a good idea? Not only am I learning a new talent, I'll also be working on my next plan and hopefully be able to put on a good show for everyone else! It's a win-win-_win_ situation, Ri."

Sora was dominating Riku's blue single bed in a starfish position, skimming over his Geography notes and comparing them with Riku's. Riku tried not to facepalm at his friend's incomprehensible denseness.

"Sora. Can't you see what's happening here? I'll say it again, and this time, _slooowly,_" he muttered back. "You... Roxas... _serenading_. Do YOU even know what that MEANS?" the silverette frantically waved what was left of his cookie at Sora's face.

"Err, yeah? I'm trying to make him smile through song! Plus the song I've chosen is just perfect for my performance. I'm sure it'll be the one!"

Facepalm. If Sora had to be ranked in a pointless Scale of Obliviousness, it would be no surprise to Riku if the boy ended up in first place. "You. Are. Hopeless."

The azure-eyed boy begged to differ. "Oh come on, Riku. You don't have to be so grouchy about it! It's not like I'm singing to him to prove my love like everyone else has been doing these days—"

"That's exactly what you're doing, moron."

"No, I'm not! Argh! Honestly, what is with you guys and trying to convince me that I love Roxas more than I should? I'm just doing what I can to make him smile! Your complaints aren't going to stop me!"

Dropping both books on the bed, Sora sat up irritatedly and walked over towards the older male's cabinet located just inches from the door. Riku's room, much similar to his own, was covered in posters of music bands and school-related work. The curtains were drawn out to let some light in and the heater was on high to warm up the usually freezing place. Riku's guitar sat on a stand next to the cabinet, which Sora took with him back to his spot. He tried playing a few simple chords and failed.

Another cookie. Riku needed another cookie, dammit. His friend was undeniably stubborn and a greater deal of destruction was in dire need to keep himself from shaking Sora senselessly. "Sora, I have nothing against you doing this. But think a little. Why would you do something like this if you didn't like him? Why would you do anything _so extreme_ if you didn't like him?" Forget his protective side for Sora and the harm that he originally thought Roxas would cause. As far as Riku was concerned, the blonde wasn't the problem. It was this blue-eyed, brown-haired, big dumb dummyhead who would eventually cause himself his own demise.

"...You've never gone this extreme for that ninth grade dude you helped out with his mum problem or that girl who had a fear of blonde people. You've never done this for anybody! You know when others have crushes they dont know they have, they go through a phase called denial. And you, Sora, are DROWNING in denial as we speak. You may as well travel the rest of Egypt if you really wanted to stay there."

Sora was undettered. "Wha wha what does that even mean?"

"Never mind what it means! When you finally realize your feelings you'll be angry at yourself for being so clueless, and possibly do some injurious and stupid thing along the way. Then you'll get depressed, and we've already established that a sulky Sora is not the best Sora out there before you finally accept the fact that _You. Have. Feelings. For. Roxas._ So why don't we skip everything else I just said and go to the acceptance part so that you don't make a fool out of yourself!"

"Err, what?"

"Argh! That's it! My brain cells are dying just talking to you. I'm done here. This conversation is over. Pass me the music sheets." He growled, internally worried about the boy's future well-being. "Just remember, Riku does not appreciate being a body pillow for tears and cuddles. Go to Naminé and Kairi instead. Now play me an A flat chord. Let's see the easiest way to learn this song with that miniscule knowledge comprehension of yours."

"Hey! That's not nice! You big meanie, you didn't have to go as far as to insult my intelligence! I get better grades than most, you know!" Maybe asking his best friend for guitar tutoring lessons wasn't the best thing for him if he had to deal with the guy's eternal insults. Sora's fingers tried to locate the right strings, but he couldn't focus knowing that a pair of aquamarine eyes were scrutinizing him for the slightest error.

"Just _play_ the chord. If I'm going to suffer helping you find the door of humiliation, you may as well cooperate."

Sora, meet your new friends: Awkward Moments, Hyperventilation, Too-Much-Blushing, Existential Crisis, Crap-Hide-Me, Do-I-Look-Good-Enough and OMG-He-Touched-My-Hand-Dies. New Friends, meet Sora. You guys will get along so well. Riku wasn't sure why the girls were egging on this fateful meeting by doing nothing but he'd done what he can to avoid it.

He just hoped Sora wasn't going to go through this humiliation alone.

* * *

**I believe that's a good place to stop, for now. (It's getting too long and there'll be something new to look forward next chapter!) I'm trying out the kinks of this next phase and it's quite difficult with the jumpy timeline. I'm so sorry guys.**

**I reread this whole crapload of 40000 words the other day and made a few changes because wow, much weirdness. Such sad. IDK even. It makes noooo sense wth. *le drowns in own tears***

**Thanks so much for those who have read this far! I dunno how you did it, but you did. *hands out hearts* The timeline is a wreck and I'm trying to slow it down but it's already way too verbose to be any slower. I'll try better next time, haha.**

**Peace out, peeps! I appreciate error corrections and reviews, so drop away! XD**


	7. You Make Me Smile

**WASSUP! Chii here with Smile A Little, Will Ya's long awaited Chapter 7. Stupid metaphoric super glue, leaving me stuck in a terrifying abyss of non-updated stories and acute unpunctuality. *le sigh* Insert woeful apology here.**

**I've been working on bettering the timeline as well as finally introducing me beloved romance :) ****I don't really know how I pulled this off, bahaha. But yes, this chapter contains shounen-ai; yes, Kingdom Hearts belongs not to me. I also don't own le beautiful song Sora sings to Roxy. Once again, thanks loads to everyone currently involved with SALWY. I'm going to do my best not to disappoint!**

**Expect uber confuzzled Sora, weird parent scenes, excessive Nobody Show references and ridiculous costumes. Lots of fast paced narration, point of view changing and weirdness: I just facepalm at this whole chapter hahaha~**

**And if you're bothered enough to go with le story flow, a link to Sora's song. xD**

**https / / www. youtube . c o m (/) watch ? v = VkCLBj7nKPY ****(take out spaces and parentheses)**

**It really is a bootiful song hardihar. Uncle Kracker you rock!**

**:) Chii wishes Smile A Little, Will Ya Chapter Seven will be a fluffy heaven. (It seriously amuses me how these get worse and worse HA HA)**

* * *

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Smile A Little, Will Ya?

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

_Ven?"_

_Ten-year old Roxas whispered, wading through the darkness of the room he shared with his brother. Thick curtains blocked every trace of sunset light coming from their windows, enabling Twilight locals like them to sleep at night. Occasionally a few clouds would darken the whole town, but not today. Judging from the glow-in-the-dark analogue clock on Ven's side of the room, it was around three twenty-six am._

_"Ven? Are you awake?" The younger blonde tried again. He could hear Ventus shuffling on his bed, soundly asleep. He tiptoed closer. Feeling for his twin's mattress with outstretched hands, Roxas sat down, listening to Ventus' quiet breathing._

_His brother was alright._

_He felt for a hand, or anything really, desperate to feel any sort of warmth emitting from the boy. Ventus was always so, so warm. Roxas, on the other hand, was always cold. Ven was the brighter twin, the __happier__ one, but Roxas was grouchy and unapproachable. Sometimes he was jealous of Ven for being so darn exuberant. They bickered often, with Ventus usually starting it, annoying Roxas to oblivion._

_He loved him, though. He was the only one he had. Their mother worked frequently and came home late at night just to provide for her two growing sons. Sometimes she was there, sometimes she wasn't. It was usually Ven and their nanny, Ven and their aunt, Ven and the babysitter next door. He didn't have many friends either. Childish and annoying as he may have been, his brother took good care of him, and he took good care of the older boy in return._

_Said older boy stirred slowly, blinking awake his droopy cerulean eyes. "Nngh. R-Roxas... What're you... doing h-here?" He sat up and took back the hand Roxas was holding, joining him at the edge of the bed. "You okay, brother?"_

_Roxas shrugged, mumbling. "W-Woke up. Too cold in my bed. N-N-Nightmare was awful."_

_"Oh."_

_Ventus retreated closer to the wall his bed was edged upon. "Come join me then. 'S warm under the blankets." He said sleepily, moving the comforter upwards to occupy the both of them. A few shuffles later and they were lying face to face; staring at each other in the darkness with identical blue eyes._

_"You feeling better now? Do you maybe want to tell me about it?" Ven inquired with a soft, comforting tone. Roxas shook his head, choosing to stay silent instead._

_Ven smiled. He wrapped an arm around his brother, pulling him close until Roxas could feel the older boy's steady heartbeat. "You sure you don't wanna tell me? You can get it off your chest."_

_The younger twin just buried his mop of blonde hair in Ventus' chest. "You're okay now. I've got your back. Everything's gonna be alright, Rox."_

_"Venny..."_

_Roxas never called him that unless he was really upset, which in this case, he was. It felt... so real. They were travelling, just the two of them. They went mountain climbing. There was a cliff nearby and Ven fell __—__ plunging, plummeting, slipping away... He couldn't save him._

_Ven fell and he couldn't save his own twin._

_"'M right here. Go get some rest."_

_Ven was alive and he was here. Ven was alive and he was here. It was just a dream. It wasn't real. His brother would never leave him. They were a team. They'd always be together, even if Ven was a million miles away and out arm's reach. Ven was alive and he was here. Ven was alive and he was here._

_"I love you, Venny. You know that, right?" The younger blonde muttered through Ven's cotton longsleeve. "N-never say that enough. I still love you even if you're such a jerk sometimes."_

_"I know... I love you too. You're my only brother. I always will."_

_His older brother just held him, a hand carding through his hair and another carefully draped around his back. His twin was humming something. He normally hated Ven's irritating singing voice but this song was dear to the both of them. Roxas took in every hushed tone, singing the lyrics in his mind. It was easier to fall asleep then, hearing the fainted melody and the beating of Ventus' heart. He was safe. He was loved._

_He had Ven._

_"...Don't know how I lived without you... cause everytime that I get around you... I see the best of me... inside your eyes..."_

* * *

~Chapter Seven: You Make Me Smile~

"KILL ME NOW."

That was the phrase going through Sora's head whilst he sat for two hours straight in a lone desk at Destiny College's assembly hall. Yesterday's examination was on Geography. The day before, he had to sit the theory examination for Food Technology. At the very moment, he was agonizing over a page full of questions on apoptosis and glycolysis and He. Just. Couldn't. Take. It. Anymore.

_'Umm, something about two pyruvate something six glucose or whatever. GAH!'_

He even studied this with Kairi _—_ yes, he definitely did; slept another good nine hours and ate a hearty breakfast but the moment he went through the hall doors it was like WHOOSH! Bye bye BYEology content. There must be a secret evil knowledge-stealing fairy somewhere out there, solely existing to suck the minds of restless students dry of everything they've studied.

Devious. Really devious.

At least this afternoon he'd get to hang out with Roxas to study for tomorrow's three pm English exam. Then there's the talent quest-cum-school festival of sorts next week! He hadn't practiced so much in the days leading up to his exams, but with the silverette's help, at least Sora had been able to master the main chords of his song.

_'Some cells are programmed to die; such is the process of apoptosis,'_ Sora began scribbling, checking the huge projector screen displaying the current time in front of him momentarily. Thirty minutes. Maybe he'd have some doodle time at the end if he sped this up enough.

_'Give an example. Oh, I dunno, maybe like my brain cells dying from thinking too hard about this question! Pfft.'_

The sixteen year old just wanted this over and done with.

**~o~**

By the time he got to Roxas', Sora was pretty much brain-dead. "No more polymerase chain reactions… PLEASE!" he declared to no one in particular, making himself at home as he slumped lazily on Roxas' comfy couch. He brought Whiskers with him so she could hang out with her sister Blue, and as if on cue, the little grey-furred kitty peeked at the two from the corridor before pouncing away at Sora's legs.

"Meow mew mreoowww!"

"That bad, huh?" Roxas asked, pouring himself and his friend two separate mugs of hot chocolate. "I made this. Maybe that'll cheer you up." He brought the tray over and placed it down on the marble tea table before sitting opposite of Sora. "At least tomorrow is our last one. I had a time constraint coding a website today. It's quite a task, to be honest."

"Did you finish?" Sora sipped on his drink, already cheering him up.

"Yeah. _Just._ We had references so, it wasn't hard to memorize what to use."

With Blue and Whiskers pawing at the carpet and scratching away on the tiles of the kitchenette, the two eleventh graders got into their planned exam study. Sora was having trouble with explaining how the theme of conflict occurred in _The Impossible Life_ when the blonde noticed his inner turmoil.

"Pick three or four quotes from the text _—_ yeah I think that works _—_ and then elaborate on it."

"Hmmmm... how does,_ "Alanna's self-conflict, as shown through the quote, 'I felt useless and unworthy, was I even good enough' depicts her desire to become a better person"_ sound?"

Roxas was silent, the gears of his brain turning. "Y-Yeah… maybe if you split the quote in half, that would be better. Not to mention replace "better person" to "improve herself mentally and physically". These little words make a difference sadly. Fussy graders…"

_Why oh why…_

Sora threw his hands above his head. He sucked at this analyzation stuff. Call him talented or whatever but when it came to schoolwork, he was utterly screwed. Sure, he did amazingly compared to most, but if he was ever to be ranked academically he would probably be barely scraping excellent grades or above average. He was glad his friends were around to assist him though. Especially Roxas _— _the guy was exceptionally smart and mildly criticisive.

"Honestly, you just want to write whatever you want in these things but _nooo_, it has to be _expository_ style," The brunette was crying inside. Roxas, noticing his distress, walked over and sat next to him, messing up his already stress-tousled sienna hair. The cerulean-eyed teen was like that lately. It reassured Sora that Roxas wanted to be close to him too.

"Tell you what, how about we turn on the television and take a break. I'll hand my notes over to you to see if you can get any ideas from that while I make us a 4pm dinner or sorts." He stood up, casting a glance at the two kittens before stretching his arms out. "How are the twins and Riku doing? You should probably call them if you want."

"Yeah. Thanks Roxas." He grinned tenfold. The underlying "you're the best" was left unsaid; the guy probably knew that anyway.

Man. Sora was so lucky to be one of the people Roxas trusted. Back then he used to be so ice cold, and now the latter was warming up to himself and his friends. People were like that, the brunette knew. They just needed to be given a chance. They just needed someone to tell them someone was there for them. That negativity wouldn't exist without positivity. But it's weird, because even though Sora was the one trying so hard, Roxas was the one changing him for the better. He just can't seem to imagine a life without his new best friend anymore.

He knew Roxas had a part of his heart.

Two complaining calls later, the azure-eyed boy turned on the television, shaking his torso to the channel's ending theme song. Roxas' notes were unlike his as expected _—_ neat bullet points with cute little drawings and self-berating captions here and there. _Roxas, remember this. The thesaurus is your friend, Rox-rox._ 'Twas kind of cute reading about what the blonde calls himself in his head, Sora told himself. Those chibis were way too perfect to be a mediocre talent.

"_Oh... my... GOSH..._ ROXAS COME COME COME!" The brunette cried suddenly, pointing at the offending tv after hearing that one distinct tune. "It's the NOBODY SHOW, l can't believe THEY AIR IT ON THIS CHANNEL I HAVE TO WATCH IT ONLINE how is this possible?!"

"Huh?_ Seriously?_ Hang on, I'm almost done, I just have to feed the cats—" Sora heard some frantic shuffling in the background and got up to assist his friend. He'd have to admit, hearing Roxas' normally lackadaisical voice tone injected with emotion was a good thing. Things were changing and the change was good, even exhilarating if someone asked him. Roxas will be smiling soon. He just felt it coming.

"Xemnas is making his appearance, oh and there's Saïx! This is definitely the first episode waaah~!"

English study put aside, the two blue-eyed sixteen year olds had a blast of a break that afternoon with their favourite program and bowlfuls of creamy shell macaroni soup.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

How time flies by.

The last weekend before the holidays was a bit hectic for the students of Destiny College. Those involved in the student council were undeniably busy as always – transitioning from an examination work ethic to managing events around the school ready for Wednesday was not an ordinary task. Two weeks of practice and Sora wasn't sure he was ready to perform in a few days' time, but the day after his god-forsaken English exam, he'd had to audition to confirm his talent quest application. Needless to say, he got in.

"_Smile! S-Smiileee. Erhem… Smi-i-i-le—_ ugh." The boy erupted into coughing fit. Sora wasn't exactly an experienced singer, but he did have an ear for musical pitch. And right now, it was not feigning well for him to have a crackly voicebox. He'd been practicing all day to get the right melody, as well as to perfectly coordinate his singing with his guitar playing. Thank goodness his father Leon had enough patience to grab him a thousand glasses of water from the kitchen.

"_Don't know h-hooo-**ow**— _okay enough is enough. Ow indeed!" He grinned, shaking his chocolate mop of hair frantically in front of his reflection. Kairi who was sitting on his bed doing last minute hand sewing just rolled her eyes.

Calm down. You sound like a dying whale from over here." The girl picked away at a random ivory thread. "And let me remind you that I'm only a few metres away from you and if you strain yourself with the singing you won't be able to perform come Wednesday."

Her sister was at Riku's _—_ doing the same last minute sewing she guessed _—_ and trying to proportionate the silverette's size and build into their cosplay project. The wig was going to be harder to attach to him, however. Kairi quietly laughed at her and Naminé's very brilliant idea...

The brunette sighed. "Sorry. I just want it to be perfect..." He swung around his chair and away from his closet mirror, facing his best friend with a guilty smile. Whiskers finally emerged from under the bed then, her paws returning back to her ears every so often just in case Sora decided to sing loudly again.

"Meow."

"You know it doesn't matter to Roxas whether you missed a note or not. He doesn't even know you're serenading him in front of the whole school." Kairi informed him. At the sight of the ginger kitten she set aside her project for a while to pick the pet up and into her lap. "Which reminds me... he is pretty much your size, right? Naminé and I are running out of time so we made an exact replica of the clothes you're wearing."

"Umm, Roxas is definitely taller than me... not sure about his body size though..."

The girls hadn't much long to plan for their Destiny College end-of-exam-week festival costumes, so they'd tossed some ideas in the air and aimed to make them immediately after their exams. Instead of Sora's original Peter Pan theme ensembles however, the blonde girl suggested a more practical costume idea that would include Riku, herself and her sister to dress up in the same theme and Roxas and Sora as another. Plus, they weren't too hard to make. It didn't take long to gather fabric for sewing and other accessories such as wigs, and now, three days from their festival and talent quest, Kairi was pretty much just adding some details to them. She was sure Roxas still didn't know about the dressing up part of the special day (Sora'll enlighten him soon enough) and Riku... _heh,_ Riku was in for a surprise.

Moving Whiskers onto Sora's pillow to play with Mr Bunnykins and Froggie, the girl dusted her finished product free of loose thread and barely-seen lint. "That's okay. We made some room in the jacket just in case. I'll clean whatever I messed up later. What do you think about this?" She held up Sora's jacket.

Azure eyes scanned over the attire. "Wow, it's absolutely _perfect!_ You and Nam are the best, Kai!" Sora rose to his feet to feel the nylon-polyester fabric for himself. He browsed small hands through the pockets and hood strings, noting Kairi's amazingly precise machine stitching with amazement.

"Great! Try it on so I know it fits. Here're the pants as well. Are you using Riku's guitar for the performance?"

"Mewwww mreow!"

"Nah. He didn't want me tampering with the thing." Sora checked himself in the mirror. Absolutely perfect, the way this outfit hugged his body. His friends were geniuses. "I pre-ordered a custom-made one instead. Mom's picking it up for me today right after work so I can return Ri's to him tomorrow. She thinks it's nice I've picked up another new talent."

"Hah, "_another"._ The ever-so-talented Sora... Don't forget to hang up your clothes so it doesn't get too many creases. You can bring Roxas' costume to him as well."

A calling voice from downstairs and the smell of baked quiche roused the two to take a hearty lunch break, Whiskers included. Three days left and Sora would get the chance to show off what he'd been working on the last two weeks. Three days left and Roxas' world would be different from the way it was right now, if only in the form of the smile Sora wished for day and night. Three days left.

How time flies by indeed.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

"Oh I hate you three, so, _so much,_ why in the world am I still friends with you, how is it that I'm forced to wear such a _scandalous, objectionable, derogatory_ excuse of an attire while Sora gets to look less of a fool than I do? I'd rather wear a _damning_ trashbag."

Of course Riku would hate it. But the fact that he did hate it gave the girls a bigger thrill in forcing him to wear it.

The third of July would be an unforgettable end-of-week exam festival day for Destiny College, partly because the one and only school's angel, Sora Leonhart, would be smashing the stage with his must-see performance. Of course when word got out that Sora got in the talent quest (surprise, surprise there), suddenly everyone was more excited for the event than usual. Good thing the weather that day was impeccably sunny, but nothing can beat the winter breeze and the clinging frost on dying grass. DC loved its talent quest performances very much so, and out of the many daring to ridiculous entries they received every year, twenty individuals and groups got the privilege to flaunt their amazing skills to their school mates and teachers.

Another reason to remember this day in DC history was merely what Riku Aurelien was wearing. And my, was it ignominious indeed.

"Hah! Nice outfit Riku! Finally in touch with your inner feminine, huh?" Vanitas hollered from a distance. The guy himself was dressed as a vampire, something _—_ contrary to what the silverette internally believed _—_ that was WAY better than this offending thing he was unwillingly shoved into. He may as well have been gassed and locked in a room for all it was worth. How did he get into this again?

"Shut your mouth, pug face! Eat a shoe!" He yelled back, stomping furiously in his… stupid black doll shoes. Trust him to be best friends with the most insane and secretly evil individuals ever.

"Don't pay him any attention, Ri. You look amazing." Naminé casually twirled one of her curled pigtails with a finger. Kairi, dressed in a similar ensemble as her sister and Riku with differing colours, adjusted the ribbon in her half-tied straight hair as she nodded.

"Amazing? **AMAZING?** How can a man like me look AMAZING in this?**_ IT'S ALL LIES!_** I'm freezing my butt off in this green short-sleeved dress and knee-high white socks during the coldest month of winter as _Buttercup!_ A FREAKING POWERFUFF GIRL!" He pulled at a cowlick on his black-haired wig for effect. "WHY, CRUEL WORLD!"

"Oh come on, Ri, it's not so bad! The weather's nicer than the rest of July usually is!" Sora said, smiling.

"**NOT SO BAD?!** OH YOU TRY WEARING WHAT I'M WEARING RIGHT NOW! In front of the whole school nonetheless! Still not so bad to you, aye _Leonhart?_"

"Well if you really didn't want to, you didn't have to." The red-haired girl told him. Sapphire orbs caught Naminé's briefly and they knew their eldest best friend inwardly didn't want their hard work to go to waste. Besides, it was hilarious. Riku basked in the glow of hilarity.

"I still hate you three." The guy said in a final, dismissive tone. They were heading towards the direction of the large bouncy castle when Riku huffed and picked up the pace. "For the record," the silverette turned around and yelled, "_—_this is not happening again, ya hear me?! Demons, I tell you…"

Sora giggled with Bubbles-Naminé and Blossom-Kairi. "_Buttercup_, she is the toughest fighter, Powerpuffs saved the day~"

"OH SHADDUP!"

With their grouchy friend gone to cool off some steam, the twins and Sora began their trek to find Roxas amidst the crowds of superheroes, anime characters and for the really last minute ideas, people with cardboard signs or in gigantic boxes with coloured doodles. Most of the day was being held at the school field: the place packed with stalls of all sorts on the lower grounds and the portable talent quest stage in the center view of their circular arena on the upper grounds. Just like May the first, the creative departments of Destiny College ran most of the activities and attractions. Spotting Miss Aqua defrosting a lone daisy on the ground, the three waved at her before finally catching a glimpse of their blonde target not far from the plush toy stall.

"Roxyyyyyyy!" As if Sora couldn't be any more excited, azure eyes glimmered at the sight of his beloved best friend. He couldn't really run with the large instrument he was carrying with him, but he tried anyway. Roxas met him halfway the journey, the immaculate wig he was wearing covering the left side of his face.

"Hey Sor. Or should I say, _Demyx_?" Roxas commented, flicking two fingers at Sora's gelled blonde wig. "You look awesome."

"Hehe, you too! You actually, ACTUALLY look like Zexion and it's not even funny. Kai and Nam did an awesome job huh?"

"Yeah." The older boy spared a glance at the girls squealing none-too-quietly behind Sora. He sent them a thankful salute to which Kairi responded with a mouthed, "You're welcome".

Nam and Kai's plans to get the two a couple-themed cosplay, unbeknownst to them of course, was so totally worth it. The happy-go-lucky boy appeared extremely flattering in an ivory black hoodie, dark denim pants and heavy leather boots. Roxas was just as handsome in the same outfit; the emo-like blue fringe giving him an endearing and mysterious charm. Now if only Sora would notice that and vice versa.

"Finally gelling the hair, I see. I can't believe you also went as far as to grab yourself a sitar." The Twilight Town boy eyed the instrument the brunette was manhandling behind him.

"Teehee. It's actually a guitar that looks like a sitar. Learning the sitar is waaaaaay harder." Sora explained. "Lucky you though, only having to carry a book around like the nerd you are, _Ze-xi-on~_ It's so awesome because not only do I have Demyx's sitar, but as a talent quest performer for today I actually get to utilize it. So much win."

"Hn. I look forward to seeing you use it. I won't need to run home for my earmuffs, do I?" he teased, pinching the shorter teen's nose affectionately. The brunette just laughed. "At least not in the way Zexion would when Demyx starts playing…"

"HEY! I practiced forever! I promise, I'm not bad at all! That sea-salt ice cream bet is still on, muhaha!"

Kairi had to hold on to Naminé for support. Death by feels. She couldn't take watching them openly yet unknowingly flirt with each other without interfering. It was all… too… much. Instead, the blonde girl dragged her over to a stall displaying a variety of accessories, leaving the two boys to their antics. How they handled things from now on was all on them.

"You think they'll finally notice they like each other? I mean, if our research was reliable enough, that Nobody Show Sora adores so much definitely portrays Zexion and Demyx as a couple."

The sapphire-eyed blonde took out a blue long-sleeve from her handbag. The chilly air seemed to agree with her as it blew past, doing little damage to their styled hair. Winter romances are just the sweetest.

Kairi sighed longingly. "It'd be a miracle if they do…"

**~o~**

Some minutes later, the girls located Riku hanging within the outskirts of the school canteen. He was joking around with Zack, who, much to his relief, was dressed as Snow White because his girlfriend forced him to. The black-haired teen didn't mind so much though. His aforementioned girlfriend was dressed as a prince herself so the whole gender-bender costume theme wasn't exactly limited to the aquamarine-eyed silverette.

Roxas and Sora on the other hand, flitted from one place to the other _— _from several food shacks to game stalls, winning and buying a few things here and there. While the brunette buried his face into a plate of several types of guacamole, the blonde had his focus on distant targets, aiming tennis balls or rings or bean bags to win free novels and for the azure-eyed boy, another few plushies for his collection. Inevitably, Roxas had to deal with girls barraging their way towards them for photographs of cute Demyx-Sora. They had the gall to ask him to take them even with his barely-concealed ice blue glare! It was a shame the Strife teen couldn't really refuse because he didn't want Sora to be upset. Besides, the sooner Roxas took them, the sooner they'd leave them alone. Ungrateful swine.

When it was about time for the talent quest performances to start, the duo put away their purchases and winnings in their lockers and reunited with Riku as well as the girls before Sora could disappear towards the arena for placing arrangements. The day was still young with the sun peaking high just behind a swirl of fleecy clouds. Shivering slightly as they sat down, the monitoring teachers coaxed the youngest year groups to file along the first few bleacher rows, followed by the senior eleventh and twelfth-grade students along the back. Sound checks made the occasional screeching through the speakers as they drowned out the noisy chitter-chatter between friends.

"Oh, this is going to be so exciting! I've been in the RadiAX group's every dance practice." Some girl in front of Roxas beamed, her friends giggling along with her. The blonde himself was settled between Naminé and Kairi, Riku picking through a popcorn packet beside the red-haired girl. Soon enough several pairs of eyes focused on The Head of Music testing the microphone onstage.

"Hello, can everyone hear me? Good! Welcome to this year's annual Destiny College talent quest. I, Miss Ariel, will be your host for today!"

The teacher blabbered on for a few more minutes before the first performer, a speed-painting artist, began his five minute limited show of talent. Though an impassive face he wore, Roxas was actually impressed. The act reminded the blonde of their yearly talent quests in Twilight High _—_ just as extravagant in planning, he daresayed. Of course, his first few years of high school talent quests were the most interesting. Every year, Ventus just had to one-up everybody with a new showcase. When he left, talent quests never had the same light shed upon them ever again. He'd even stopped attending.

The cerulean-eyed teen still wondered what Sora was going to sing. Riku had helped him with the guitar playing, and according to the brunette, the sapphire-eyed girls had been there for his pitch work and melody modifications. The surprise his friend had been hiding would remain a secret no more in a matter of performances. Whatever it was, Roxas knew it was going to be good.

This was Sora they were talking about, for heaven's sake.

A shadow act, clever "magical" illusions, two dance groups and a medley song later, the audience held their breaths and unleashed their waiting applauses for a certain now-blonde, chocolate-haired boy as he walked up the steps of the portable stage. Roxas could see Sora shaking visibly from the two arena projector screens. It actually concerned him because the guy was used to public appearances. When dark blue orbs began searching the bleachers, the Strife teen held out a reassuring thumbs up, rendering his fangirls' encouraging yells of, "You can do it, Sora!", "Go Sora!" or "Yipeeyahyayy!" useless.

"Umm, hi."

Kairi leaned on Riku's shoulder to avoid bursting out. Sora was such a nervous wreck and as his best friend she could tell with just those two words. The silverette patted her on the back.

"Err, umm, so, my name is Sora for those who don't know me… how is everyone doing today?"

He practiced really hard. He could do this. It was going to be perfect and nothing else mattered.

Lights flared out and blinked into focus on the happy-go-lucky boy, his confidence gradually restored. "Yay! Alrighty then, let's get this act started before my five minutes run out, ha ha!" Besides the one he was using, a microphone set up by the technology members of the student council was already adjusted towards where his sitar was going to be. He sat down on the stage chair _—_ longing azure catching suspenseful cerulean eyes.

"Ladies and gentlemen, students and teachers of Destiny College," he took a revitalizing deep breath, "_—_I dedicate this song to my newest best friend Roxas Strife, who, for the past five months, has given me a chance to improve myself. Thank you so much for your light."

Silence. And then murmurs.

Two seconds after Sora's announcement, stage lights found Roxas in the crowd _—_ his half-covered austere expression and confused eyes staring back at him from the projector screens. They widened all the more when that particular acoustic melody resonated through the school speakers.

_Oh god._

Of all things.

He can't believe_—_

**No.**

H-H-How did_—_ what_—_

Roxas was forced to release a breath he didn't know he was holding while he clutched his chest impulsively.

After the introduction interlude, Sora's sweet voice echoed through the arena. Fingers aware of which chords to play, he sang.

**_"You're better than the best… _**

**_I'm lucky just to linger in your light. _**

**_Cooler than the flip-side of my pillow, that's right…"_**

**_"Completely unaware, nothing can compare, _**

**_To where you send me; it lets me know that it's okay._**

**_Yeah, it's okay. _**

**_And the moments when my good times start to fade…"_**

Roxas hasn't listened to this song… in years… All the memories it held for him…

They were too_—_

**_"You make me smile like the sun,_**

**_fall outta bed, sing like a bird, dizzy in my head _–**

**_spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night…"_**

**_"You make me dance like a fool, forget how to breathe…"_**

**_"Shine like gold, buzz like a bee…_**

**_just the thought of you can drive me wild…"_**

**_"Oh, you make me smile."_**

So bygone yet surprising in the blonde's memory _—_ etched upon his subconscious,_ like a repetitive film on an infinite roll._ Ventus.

This song was theirs.

_Eyes open, breath quickening, pulse racing_ _—_ the audience didn't matter. Aww's in the background couldn't compare to the drumroll of his heart and oh my gosh, Sora_—_

The wind whispered in his ear and he shivered.

.

.

Sora was doing alright. _Eyes closed, fingers strumming, dimples rising as the lyrics fell from his lips_ like a soaring hummingbird: feeling the emotion of_ every note_, of _every word_, and even without seeing Roxas' face he hoped he was smiling _like his love for this song._ And even if Roxas wasn't the brunette would still keep trying. Still stay by his side and still mean everything his heart wanted the now blue-haired blonde to know at this very moment.

The Leonhart teen's trio on friends kept close watch on the serenaded and when the first few tears finally fell, Naminé knew. Roxas had forgotten he was a spectacle on the screen. Contrarily silent, Sora's fans were captivated by the gentle melody and the azure-eyed boy's next verse.

**_"Even when you're gone,_**

**_somehow you come along just like a flower,_**

**_poking through the sidewalk crack."_**

**_"…And just like that… you steal away the rain. And just like that."_**

**_…_**

_"You make me smile like the sun,_

_fall outta bed, sing like a bird, dizzy in my head..._

_spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night..."_

_"Ventus, shut up. I am trying to finish this project."_

_"You make me dance like a fool,_

_forget how to breathe, shine like gold;_

_buzz like a bee… just the thought of you can drive me wild…"_

_"Damn it, you. Be quiet!"_

_"Oh come on, Roxas. It's my favourite song. Ohhhhh, you make me smileeeee..."_

_"Favourite song yourself. Doesn't mean you have to annoy me with it by singing it all the freaking time."_

_"Aww, why do you have to be so mean to me? Mother says you should be nicer because I'm the only brother you have. Plus I'm older so that trumps you double time."_

_"Hmph. Just please keep it down. Your shrilling excuse of a singing voice is emotionally traumatizing."_

_"OHHHHH YOU MAKE MEEEEE SMILEEEEEE~! Sing it with me, Roxy! YOUUUU MAKEEE MEEEE SMILEEEEEE!"_

_"Ven! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"_

_"Nuh-uh. Having too much fun."_

_"Grrr! You are sooo busted!"_

_"Nyahahaha! Can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread Ven~! Over here __—__ nope, over there __—__ nope, under the bed, whoops, you missed me! Maahaa~!"_

_"VENTUS STRIFE! COME BACK HERE, YOU IMBECILE! ARGH!"_

**_…_**

When the bridge came, Sora had his eyes on Roxas and only on Roxas. He'd stood to express all what could not be expressed through song itself; body language strong and comforting. **_"...Don't know how I lived without you, cause every time that I get around you... I see the best of me inside your eyes..."_**

**_"You make me smile…"_**

Roxas, don't cry.

**_"You make me dance like a fool,_**

**_forget how to breathe… shine like gold,_**

**_buzz like a bee, just the thought of you can drive me wild…"_**

Don't cry.

**_"You make me smile like the sun,_**

**_fall outta bed, sing like a bird, dizzy in my head –_**

**_spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night…"_**

**_"You make me dance like a fool,_**

**_forget how to breathe… shine like gold,_**

**_buzz like a bee, just the thought of you can drive me wild…"_**

**_._**

**_._**

**_"Oh, you make me smile..."_**

**_._**

**_._**

Lips quirking upwards. Slow. Subtle.

**_"Oh, you make me smile…"_**

**_._**

**_._**

The Twilight High teen's tears long wiped, gone like they weren't even there.

**_"Oh… you make me smile."_**

The big finish: A grin from ear-to-ear; viewed by all through dual screens. Bowing to the applauses he earned by default, but only one mattered to him the most. Affectionate cries of students from every year group. _That was amazing, Sora. Aww! How adorable! Roxas is so lucky, oh my gosh…_

Just like Kairi knew he would, he'd perfected his act, and it was better than what the Leonhart teen had expected. With Sora's five minutes up, he ambled off of the stage with his sitar in tow, butterflies back in his stomach as he anticipated how Roxas will react. DC's talent quests weren't about who was the best in school, so the azure-eyed teen needn't worry about any competitive aspects.

Phew. Singing was hella tiring.

**~o~**

He knew waiting was always a bother, but that one hour sitting elsewhere in the arena enjoying the last few acts of the show away from his best friends was too agonizing for the brunette, so to speak. He was impressed with the one-person orchestra though _—_ how someone could jump from one instrument to the other and manage to play a perfect piece was beyond him. Closing announcements from Miss Ariel explained that joyrides would be closing an hour before bell time so they had to hurry if they wanted to make the most of the day.

The walk out was just as nerve-wracking as the performance itself.

If the guy was expecting to immediately find his way to his best friends after the talent quest, well, he was sorely mistaken. Flocks of his fellow schoolmates crowded the upper grounds of the school field. Some were there to see him; some merely wandering around to congratulate the other performers. He'd noticed, however, that the girls who adored him and normally… _err…_ greeted him with hugs didn't so much approach him closer than a metre's distance. Thanking him for the entertainment with beaming smiles or a few handshakes, they withdrew elsewhere within a matter of minutes.

Odd.

"Sora!"

That was Naminé, straightening out her side fringes. Buttercup-Riku gave him a wave through the still-present crowd and Kairi; a proud grin.

Zexion-Roxas didn't stand too far behind them, face characteristically buried in his novel to avoid social interaction.

"Kairi! Naminé! Riku!" The Leonhart teen jogged towards them excitedly, almost forgetting he was carrying a heavy instrument. The now black-haired aquamarine-eyed teen muffled his blond spiky hairdo, patting him proudly on the shoulder. "You did well, bro."

"He definitely pulled that one off! Sor, that was just adorable. When you stood up for the bridge and played like no one was watching, there was so much emotion and aww_—_" Kairi just hugged him to herself. The sunshine-haired girl and Riku joined in as well as they laughed and swayed to the beat of the music playing across their college.

Sora was all smiles. "Thanks guys. I couldn't have done it without you helping me. I love you so much…"

"We love you too, Sora."

"You really are one-of-a-kind, you know?"

Riku agreed. "Yeah, ditto, you big baby."

The laughs only die down when the sixteen year-old remembered he still needed to confirm what Roxas thought of his act. From the stage he'd seen the Strife teen's fists clenched directly over his chest, but he couldn't be sure. Pulling out of the group hug, Sora raised his head, eyeing the friend he so dearly thought of: watching him, cerulean eyes full of endearment.

"Sora."

Heads turned to the direction of the voice. Conversations became whispers and murmurs, silence cutting through crowds like gunfire.

Sora grinned.

Dark blue eyes on paler blue, his heart beating fast while he nibbled on his bottom lip. No more of this pointless staring. He needed a solid answer. Did Roxas like it? Did Roxas hate it? Could he finally see his hardwork pay off? His sitar in Riku's care, the boy ran.

Who knew five metres could be so far away…

Roxas waited for him. With outstretched arms he caught the boy in succession, swinging the younger around before fully burying himself in Sora's chocolate warmth.

His Sora.

His.

The brunette meant so much to him and he couldn't even explain it… How did things turn out this way? This was the annoying individual he couldn't stand to be next to five months ago. The same boy who'd been trying so hard for the sake of his woeful demeanour without even asking for anything in return. Sweet, adorable Sora who reminded him too much of Ventus to be a wild coincidence, who had an idea of his antisocial flaws and foul attitude but still chose to stick around.

Sora.

He was an angel. He didn't deserve this light with his heart of bleakness, but yet he was here in his arms. Subtle tears prickled his eyes once more and the Twilight Town teen held him close, adamant not to let him go.

God, of all things…

What did he do to deserve him...

"Roxas…" The azure-eyed boy hugged him back. Book forgotten on the ground, Roxas laced a hand through Sora's blonde and brown spikes; the other draped over the small of his back. No matter that people were staring at them _—_ to the cerulean-eyed boy, they were the only ones standing there; the gusting breeze sighing contentedly as their witness.

"Did I… D-Did I win the bet, Roxas? Do I have to fork up my cash to buy you a semester's supply of sea-salt ice cream?"

Funny how that was the first thing his friend worried about. Sora was the one who sang that song and yet he was the one making him smile. "Yes, _yes…_ you won, you weirdo. God, Sora. You were…"

Amazing? Fantastic? Magnificent?

There were no words to explain how much he appreciated the Leonhart teen's efforts to show he cared. Songs were meaningful words from the heart stringed into a carefully composed melody, but that song in particular…

Instead of forcing him to break down from grief it just made Roxas undeniably happy. That even though Ventus was gone, he had Sora with him and he had to move on. It told him that he wasn't alone.

That he was safe. And he was loved.

'Cause he had Sora.

Lips brushing against the shorter's ear, Roxas held him closer. "Sor… why...

.

.

Why didn't you tell me you'd change my life, the moment you walked in it?"

.

.

.

The azure-eyed teen's heart was palpitating. He felt so warm and happy _—_ here, in Roxas' arms, his normally cool skin now a tender temperature. It was all _so weird_. He didn't know why he suddenly couldn't breathe, and when he remembered to, they were none-too-quiet gasps of air as he sank further into Roxas' honey embrace. What was happening to him and why was he feeling so lightheaded...

He giggled softly as blue eyes fluttered to a close. "I don't think you would've believed me, if I told you... B-But am I really...? Changing your life, that is..."

"Yeah... I wouldn't have, huh." _And of course you are..._

When Roxas pulled away, it was only to see Sora's face _—_ his lively smile... his deep blue ecstatic eyes. Someone in the distance had cleared their throat and the crowds dispersed, leaving only the twins just metres away talking about shoes and Riku rolling his eyes without a care in the world.

"Sora... thank you. _Thank you so much._"

Azure orbs blinked rapidly and Roxas was looking at him and... wow. He really did have beautiful cerulean eyes. As if the brunette didn't notice this before because he knew but he didn't, heh, Sora didn't look at everyone's eyes so closely. And just when he couldn't be even more surprised, there it was. What the free-spirited boy'd been wishing for all this time. It was small, but it was there.

Roxas was smiling.

SMILING.

It was a tiny smile; one a person would make if they'd seen something that amused them. Holy crap, of all things, he couldn't believe this was it.

"Rox, you're_—_"

But Sora didn't see it coming when Roxas leaned in, their foreheads touching and their heartbeats pounding simultaneously.

What.

What what what what what.

What was happening...?

The Leonhart teen was flushed and he knew it. _Oh my gosh_, he didn't even _know_, he could feel one of Roxas' hands gently stroking _his face_ _—_ a thumb caressing his cheek, his sudden gasping oh-so-difficult to hide now. He'd never felt this way around the blonde before, so why now...? Roxy was too close and it was making him nervous, _god_, what was happening, please someone tell him, he didn't understand_—_

It wasn't until he remembered _something_ _—_ something Riku had said that he finally... **oh dear him**, what when where why how did this happen...? He just wanted to run and understand, but Roxas_—_

Roxas was smiling and it was because of him. This was what he had prayed for all this time. Little though it was, it was a start and it was a smile. Sora couldn't be anymore thankful he'd never given up.

He could feel the other's cheek against his, with his arms enclosed around him protectively and their noses rubbing. The closet softie in the blonde was showing. And hell it would be a lie if Sora even so much thought he didn't like this side of him. The Strife teen was so _warm..._ and he was so, _so _glad he could start crying.

_"When you finally realize your feelings you'll be angry at yourself for being so clueless..."_

_"He's finally realized he liked Roxas..."_

_"I knew it..."_

"Sora?"

Reality in the form of Roxas' voice eventually caught up to the confuzzled and discombobulated blonde-haired brunette.

"Sora, Riku, Nam and Kai are waiting for us. Do you wanna go on the bumper cars before they close?" He suggested.

When did the Twilight High teen pull away and how long had they been holding hands for? What time was it and where were they again? Today was the third of July.

"U-Uhh huuh whaa? Err, ha ha, umm, y-yeah! Whatever you said... ha ha..."

Broken mess his brain was. This was worse than the brunette's Biology exam.

"Okay, come on then." Another tiny smile _oh my godddd__—_ "I'll be the one treating you this time, yeah?"

"Y-Yeah... o-okay…"

Leading the front were his three Powerpuff best friends, mumbling secrets amongst themselves as the older boy pulled him along towards their destination.

Dear knowledge-stealing fairy somewhere out there. For the love of all things good and sane...

"Kill me now."

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Days later and Sora couldn't believe the second semester holidays were finally here. Compared to their previous fortnight break however, he had absolutely no homework, courtesy of having just finished the midterm exams. Of course, his teachers still managed to emphasize the importance of studying and revisiting their notes for the next term, and he quoted, _"As senior students of Destiny College you have to be responsible enough to read ahead, ready for the third semester and eventually for the end-of-year examinations." _Yeah… no thank you for now.

With nothing too important to do and suddenly no phases to complete, his laptop and ice cream were his friends. He'd re-watch the next few episodes of the Nobody Show from what's airing on television but… gah. It reminded him too much of the festival.

And of Roxas…

…he _remembered_… Roxas _brushing_… gentle hands _through his hair_… and their _foreheads touching_… _honey warmth_; lips _just millimetres_ **away** from his and he _wondered_, what if _he'd moved_… what if he'd stood on tiptoes and…

GAH!

The azure-eyed teen took a pillow he wasn't using and buried his humiliated and blushing face in its fluffiness. Please someone stop these feelings and memories… he wasn't supposed to think about this, he wasn't supposed to wonder and fantasize, HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO DEVELOP A CRUSH ON THE BOY HE WAS TRYING TO HELP!

GAH!

GAH GAH GAH GAH GAH!

GAAAAAAAAAAH!

And of course Riku, Namine and Kairi as well as the rest of his family and homeroom class had already speculated his supposedly hidden feelings for the sunshine-haired boy and even _constantly, constantly __constantly__ **constantly!**_ pointed it out.

He wasn't supposed to believe them because it wasn't true!

But now it was.

.

.

.

Well, he was dead.

"Whiskers, what do I do now?" Sora asked the napping kitten burrowed in Sora's plush toys. He couldn't even see her from where he was sitting _—_ one could never have enough plushies. The cookies and cream bucket he'd been devouring was long melted on his bedside table and the laptop on his stomach was continuously prompting him to charge it already.

"Meow."

"You think I should just sit here, and do nothing about it. Meow once for yes, twice for no."

His pet poked a curious head from the pile, sneezing. "Meow _meww_."

"Then you want me to do something about it?"

"Mrreow."

Tch. Even his cat knew he liked Roxas.

Sigh. It was late. He'd done nothing this Sunday but eat and sleep all day, thanks to episode binging and video games. Thankfully though, tomorrow he'd get to hang out with Riku and the twins, maybe even the cerulean-eyed teen if he was available. Putting aside the laptop and switching off the lights, Sora returned to bed, patting his surroundings for the ginger's whereabouts. The brunette was already settled inside his triple-layered burrow when his phone on the bedside table signalled an incoming text message.

_Roxas (04xxxxxxxx) _

_Sent 11:47pm, 07/07_

_Subject: _❤ heyyy

_"Hey._

_I'm bringing Blue with me to play with Whiskers tomorrow, just to let you know. I'll meet you at your house. Will they be all right with your mother? Can't wait to see you._

❤ (ノ¬_¬)ノ(^▽^)

_Goodnight, Sor."_

_._

_._

_._

THUD.

Oh fancy that, he actually fell out of bed. Because of a text. Har di har har har.

He may or may not have just _eep_'ed reading that, but only Whiskers heard it anyway. Geez, was this what it was like to like someone? Suddenly everything changes and you can't eat or sleep or stop thinking about them and wow, what would Roxas think of him now? Would he question why Sora was so jumpy all of a sudden, or start hating him because he couldn't say "I love you" without running away? Oh my gosh, he'd said "I love you" to the Strife teen. Why did he say that? Well he _did_ love Roxas, but now_—_

Oh for goodness sake. Up. Bed. _Sleep._ **Forget it**. Nope. Nope. **Nope.** No more. Thoughts _over._

_**Please.**_

Why was crushing on someone so tortuous…?

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

_How do you know you like someone __—__ Google Search Destiny Village_

_What's it like to have a crush __—__ Google Search Destiny Village_

_Crush definition __—__ Google Search Destiny Village_

_Why is my heart beating so fast when I think about a person I may (or may not) like __—__ Google Search Destiny Village_

_Is it weird that I think I like my best friend? __— Google Search Destiny Village_

_Can I still hug him or hold his hand even though we're just friends __—__ Google Search Destiny Village_

_What does a first ki__—_

"It's started hasn't it."

Curse Naminé for almost giving Sora a heart attack as he juggled his phone like a circus clown, eventually getting a grip on it before breathing a sigh of relief.

Sora laughed. _Nervously. _"What's started?"

"Oh you know… the _anger_… and _confusion_…" Kairi hinted, leering at him knowingly from the opposite side of the lunch table. There wasn't much to do during Destiny Village winters, but there was a new movie the silver-haired teen wanted them all to see so the five students planned themselves a simple Movie Monday. The blonde boy was off somewhere buying himself and Sora some food and Riku had just arrived with a tray of chicken and chips.

"N-No. Nothing's started, I'm perfectly fine, y-you know." As if he'd inflate their egos even further by telling them about his emotional struggles.

"Of course you are. Don't worry, we got your back, right Kai?"

"Sure."

"Heh, I don't."

The sapphire-eyed blonde rolled her eyes at their eldest friend as she moved aside. "Not gonna be a body pillow this time around. Last time was bad enough. You wouldn't let me shower when one of your favourite plush toys got lost. No. Not this time. I am a free man."

"You big fat meanie. Calling yourself a best friend… Oh, and speaking of best friends," The red-haired girl wiggled her eyebrows, "Roxas is coming."

"Whaaa whaa he is? Oh crap, hide me."

"Oh no _you don't_, you're gonna punch denial in the face, you hear me? Come on, up up." Naminé motioned with a hand.

Attempting to dive under the table was futile; the Strife teen was already scooching over with two bowls of beef noodles.

"Did I miss something?" asked Roxas as he served the table and put the tray away. Riku kept quiet with a mouthful of hot fries. The girls however… they weren't Sora's best friends just because.

"Oh _nooothing…_ we were just talking about baby Sor's problems here~"

"Naminé_—_!"

"…and how he kinda needs help with something and stuff."

"Kairi_—_!"

"Yeah, pretty much nothing special." They drawled on, munching on a chicken piece each. No doubt this cued Roxas to look at Sora with a worried expression. "What kind of problem is it?"

"N-Nothing! It's nothing! I'm fine, Roxas, honest! Just cold…"

He stuffed a forkful of beef and vegetable in his mouth, swallowed, then smiled as innocently as he could. "See? 'M alright! Tadaa! This is such a nice beef noodles of bowl, h-huh? Oh crap, that came out wrong…"

The former just stared at him harder. "Are you sure you're okay? You're getting flushed." Abandoning his lunch, he tried to check for Sora's temperature, which, sadly, by his nearing proximity, made the boy turn scarlet all the more.

"N-N-No, I'm not sick, it's just hot in here and, y-yeah, I probably should shed a few layers_—_"

"I thought you said you were cold."

"Well that was before_—_" Oh why was he even trying to talk himself out of this one, Roxas wasn't stupid, but in all honesty he wasn't sick and what was he supposed to say, _hey Rox? You're too close, it's making me blush so much that I'm gonna die?_ He'd been thinking about his beloved best friend night and day and this morning he fell out of bed AGAIN. Sheesh, Whiskers was even clawing at the blankets trying to help him out of the tangled mess that was his sheets and the gears in his brain. Ridiculous.

Utterly ridiculous.

Roxas ignored the boy's excuses and went straight for one of Sora's hands. "It's winter. If you're sick, we ought to bring you home. It feels awful to have a cold in the holidays, you know."

"I'm fine. I promise. It's just the soup, or this air conditioning, but I'm alright, okay? Promise."

The duo had a staredown _—_ Roxas' gaze stern and Sora's pleading, but in the end the older boy decided to drop it. "All right. But the moment you throw up I'm piggybacking you home. No excuses."

"Yeah, yeah." Stupid weirdness making him act so weird and lame and weird and worrying the life out of his crush and ugh, whyyyy. But damn if his heart didn't want to jump out of his chest because Roxas was being so nice to him. Ugh, it was all_ too much._ The sixteen year old slurped up the last of his lunch and chugged down a bottle of soda. Bahhumbug.

"Kai, Nami, I think our parents had arranged to go somewhere tonight, haven't they?" Riku inquired out of the blue. "We still on for that?"

"Yeah. We might just come straight to yours after this so we can help with the food. What are you doing, Sora?"

"Hmm? Oh, umm, my parents were adamant about inviting Roxas to dinner. Rox always picks me up now so they kinda want to get to know him. Plus, Blue's with Whiskers so, if it gets too late he might even sleep over."

"Oh, won't that be fun." Naminé giggled none-too-innocently. "You guys could share the spare bedroom _—_ there's more space in there than in Sor's room."

Roxas nodded as he put his eating utensils away. "Hn. I'll be fine anywhere. I brought a sleeping bag just in case."

With lunch over and their movie screening finished, they readied themselves to walk home from the shopping side of town. Sora held Roxas' hand and for a while, it was all alright. Unfortunately from now on, the Leonhart teen couldn't deny there was something different as a result of his new realized feelings.

He'd done this before. He'd done this many times. The hugging, the holding hands thing… but now, for the first time ever, Sora finally knew what it felt like to be really close to someone. To be happy in someone's company. He had his friends, yes, but it was just different.

This was exhilarating different. Scary different. He'd never felt like this different. What if Roxas didn't feel the same way because, hah! As if he would. But they were best friends and that was what was confusing. How did he suddenly cross the friendship barrier and end up in the feelings zone, a zone he'd never been in before? What was the difference between friendship affection and crush affection? Sora wanted to know, but at the same time, he didn't.

Ugh. Definitely too much brain power for him right now. As the boy he somehow developed a crush on within a matter of days squeezed his hand while they traversed home, Sora figured he should shift his focus on keeping the rare smile on Roxas' face. He'll keep on making him happy, because in return, everything Roxas did made him just as glad. And… even if… if Roxas had to go without… without him knowing what Sora was thinking then… well… that smile was enough for the brunette.

"Sor, what're you thinking?"

"Hmm?"

"You're not usually this quiet. Not gonna tell me about your first few movie trips?"

The younger boy laughed. "Why not. You have to tell me some of yours too, then."

"…and if I don't?" Roxas challenged him with a nudge on the shoulder.

"Well then, maybe I'll just stay silent, haha."

"You drive a hard bargain, Leonhart." It was then that he'd witnessed another one of Roxas' blink-and-you-miss-it tiny grins.

Yeah. That smile… was enough…

**~o~**

Parents were always embarrassing. Sometimes they weren't, but most of the time, **they were**. Of course, Sora's just had to be Tifa and Squall Leonhart, the world's coolest, albeit obnoxious, parents ever. The two boys, upon arriving at the brunette's home, went straight for the living room to view the four o'clock Nobody Show episode.

Tifa was at home, experimenting with something somewhere and Leon was at work and due at seven pm. The cats were sleeping on one of the couches wrapped up against each other like two peas in a pod. After trying not to wake them from Sora's excessive laughing, they went upstairs to tour the spare bedroom and the azure-eyed teen's cluttered place.

A few hours later, Sora woke up to the sound of his bedroom door creaking. Night had fallen and it was colder than ever, even under the triple-layered duvet he didn't remember getting into. His laptop was on the bed… Roxas and he were talking… for some reason, he must have fallen asleep. Warm light peered into his room as his father peeked inside.

"Hey sport, you up yet? Your mother's making egg congee tonight. Cold weather and all, yeah."

"Ngh. Whaa_—_ where's Roxas, did he_—_" He checked beside him but there wasn't a blue-eyed blonde in sight. "What time is it?"

Leon walked towards his bed, mussing up his inherited chocolate hair. "About half-past seven. Roxas is downstairs helping Mom. Wanna come down?"

He was getting a little hungry, now that he thought about it. Sora could smell the garnish of onions and garlic cooking up from down there. With one glance at his father he held his arms up, wishing to be carried like he was young again.

Leon chuckled. "Sora, aren't you way too old for that kind of thing? Normally boys your age would brag about freedom and strength." He rose a curious eyebrow at him.

"I've never been normal, Dad." The happy-go-lucky teen countered, waving his arms out into the air. "I want up. Help me. Help meeeeeeee up Daaad... Daaaaaaaaad!"

"Oh har di har. You're way too heavy for me to carry you anymore, son. You've grown too big."

"Are you calling me fat?"

"Whaat? **No!** Just, strong and healthy like I always wished you to be."

"Lies." The younger boy poked his tongue out, burying himself back in cotton and polyester. "You're just weak, Dad. No fair."

"Your father is not weak!" The latter protested, his resolve to prove this strengthened. He tried to lift his son up into the air, only to drop him back down onto the bed after two seconds. "Wait, let me try again... Ugggh!"

"You lose, Dad! Sora, thirty-two, Dad, twenty-four. This month's Dad and Son challenge trophy is mine for the taking!" Sora jumped out of bed, doing a little victory dance for himself. Leon rolled his eyes. That cunning trait was certainly not from him.

He took a deep breath, faking extreme exhaustion. "So heavy... Why didn't you tell me you'd grow up so fast..." He trekked through Sora's half-messy closet, looking for some clothes to substitute his son's wrinkled outfit.

Sora grinned back fondly, hugging his father from behind. "Because I'm still your little boy. Man, you're the best dad ever, Dad."

"Ha ha, and you're the heaviest son ever. Now come on. Let's say hi to your friend. Put this on and your mother and I will set up the table. I made dessert this time: tiramisu! First come, first serve, yeah? I'll race you!"

The sound of having dessert perked Sora up. "Okay, coming right down! That cake's mine! Lucky number thirty-three, here I come!"

He scrambled out of his outfit and into the snug winter jacket one of his late grandmothers knitted, thundering down the stairs with sheer eagerness. It somehow deflated when azure orbs met cerulean ones, their owner sitting at the couch, watching tv with Whiskers and Blue.

Sora almost forgot this was his friend-turned-crush he had invited to his home.

They blinked at each other for a while, hesitant to communicate. Roxas stood up from the armchair he occupied and approached the brunette with a hug.

"Meow, mreow!"

"Mew."

The two cats were suddenly running around the place, sliding along armrests and headbutting the lounge bookshelves. Sora knew they'd be fine if they just left them alone. Their pets were really playful and clever.

"Hey. Sorry I left you upstairs… I wanted to check on the kittens when I thought your mom needed some help. Did you sleep well, are you still feeling weird?"

YES. God, he was melting like stupid putty. If this had to happen every time they saw each other, Sora wondered how in actuality he was going to survive.

"Yeah, I'm okay, thanks." Sora flashed him a smile back. With the television playing in the background, at least Roxas couldn't hear how loud his heart was beating at the moment.

Just then, Tifa entered the living room, calling the boys over for dinner. "Oh, Sora! You've come down!" She sashayed over, engulfing her son in a motherly hug.

"M-Mom... c-can't b-b-breathe!"

"Oh my baby boy, growing up so fast!" Sora's mother dragged him over to the side, an earful away from their special guest. "Sora dear, I'm so happy for you; I mean I've seen him plenty of times now but wow, Roxas is such a cutie up close!" She beamed, pinching his cheeks with affection. "He's going to be a perfect son-in-law one day, I just know it!"

"Mom!"

"No really! He's very charming. Gentlemanly too, helping me out with the chopping. You think so too, right? Oh, Naminé and Kairi were right about him. Roxas is a darling."

"No! Whaaa_—_ son-in-law...? Mom, please_—_ we're just friends_—_" The flustered younger teen cried, wriggling out of her grasp. He didn't need this right now, he didn't need this right now, WHY DID THE WORLD HATE HIM SO?!

"Oh he is? Well, that makes it all the more better! You know, your father and I were once the best of friends, and back when I thought we'd never get together too, **we suddenly did!**" Tifa clapped her hands giddily. "Well then, food's getting cold. Come along dear." She glimpsed over at the Strife teen who remained where he was, a little befuddled. "You too, love. It's so nice to have more people around for a good meal."

"Meow, meow!"

"Meww!"

**~o~**

The hospitality of the Leonharts were as Roxas expected _—_ thoughtful, voluntary and warm. Just like Sora. At least he knew all that kindness was hereditary; he told himself whilst grabbing a second round of egg congee. The Leonhart dining room was narrow yet cozy, perfect for their family of three. Roxas was always used to living in a larger space, courtesy of his own family home. Staying over at a quaint place like Sora's however felt just safe and comfortable as his own.

"So, Roxas." Leon began, changing the subject of work business to something the teens could participate in. "You wouldn't happen to know Cloud Strife, would you? Excellent painter he was. Had the brute strength to take on a buffalo herd and the talent to capture a scenery like a camera would. Tragic passing, if you asked me. Lost the battle to cancer and all."

The blonde paused briefly, soaking up the information before taking a deep breath. "Cloud Strife was my father, sir. Never knew him. He passed away before we_—_ erhem, before _I_ was born. I wish I got to know him better though."

"Oh, you poor thing." Tifa said, whispering a silent prayer. Previously playing with his food, Sora sent him a deeply sympathetic look. The blue-eyed and green-eyed cats were sharing one plate on the floor and he wondered if he could maybe give them his share. The brunette's gaze returned to his hardly-touched dinner as he slowly processed what was being said at the table.

"He was a great man. Knew him from highschool, so when Sora said he'd made friends with a Roxas Strife I immediately thought there'd be a relation to Cloud. Heh! You even have his hair and eyes." Sora's father downed himself a glass of water. "I'm sorry if I upset you for bringing it up."

The cerulean-eyed teen shook his head. "It's alright sir. Mother never talks about Father. It's refreshing to hear good things about him. I would have been proud of him were he still here."

"So it's just your mother and yourself, Roxas? She must be very proud of you, having someone who's both responsible and hardworking. Sora says you've a small house to yourself and a part-time job. Not to mention so much homework, oh dear me. Trust me, Sora complains about it all the time!"

The addressed teen agreed, consuming his bowl of dinner. "I don't go out much, so I have plenty of time to myself. Sora's much better off though, since he's very helpful to others."

"Mhm yes. He does plan to assist many people in the future. Don't you Sora?" The brunette's mother commented. With everyone finished or halfway there (the younger boy and his father were still scrambling for dessert), she excused herself and started to clean the dishes.

Leon fistpumped for snagging himself the bigger tiramisu serving and chowing it down in record time. "Dad, twenty-five, Sora, thirty-two. I'm catching up, sport! Seven points ain't nothing when you're up against Squall Leonhart!" The chocolate-haired man stood up and took the cats for some quality time.

"No fair Dad! You finished dinner first!"

"Ah ah ah. First come, first served, remember? You finished last, so you got hardly any. Rules are rules." Leon singsonged. Tifa giggled at her husband and son's daily antics.

"Oooh! Just you wait in the next challenge! I'm crushing you!" Sora turned in his dinner bowl before ushering his guest to the living room. The Strife teen followed suit, wondering to himself if this was what a complete family was supposed to be like.

His friend offered him to sit at the armchair while Sora himself plopped down lazily on their bouncy couch. The television was turned on and the Destiny College student busied himself with flicking through the many different channels. He was a little edgy and being the perceptive guy the older boy was, it was obvious.

Roxas wondered why. It was like, after the talent quest, he'd call and text Sora more often because he wanted to but compared to the usual lengthy conversations they had over the phone, the boy wouldn't reply for some time and cut things short. Maybe it was something he did. Or maybe the chocolate-haired boy was just busy. The blonde was trying to get closer to his friend to show him that_ gosh_, he was the most precious thing in his life and he was grateful for everything and even if he could just be physically near Sora, maybe that could compensate a little for everything the latter has done for him. He'd revived a part of Roxas' ability to love _—_ something that had died with his brother, or so he believed.

Well, he should probably back off a little, then. He could be making the younger boy uncomfortable. Geez, as if Sora would feel buddy-buddy with him coming on too strong like that; the boy was too nice and he probably most definitely didn't feel the same way back. After all… he was just another friend. Sora was doing what he was doing just to help him and they may have been best friends but there was no way Roxas was near good enough for him.

Five months ago he'd hated everyone in this earth. He'd only loved the brother he lost and a mother he missed everyday. Now that he'd opened his heart again, he knew a part of it was for Sora.

Dear him, dear him.

Heh.

Well, time to break the ice.

The sunshine-haired teen dug through his jacket pockets for something, was it there, he was pretty sure he still had it_— _oh yes it was, rubbing his fingers together before standing up and positioning himself on the spot beside his friend. Sora looked back at him, uncertainty barely-concealed on his face. Roxas took this opportunity to cup one of his cheeks in a gentle hand, caressing the brunette's skin with a soft thumb. Sora's breath hitched. Confusion and anticipation dawned on him; his body frozen on the spot.

"Roxas... what are you_—_"

"Shh… don't say a word…"

The latter trailed his other hand towards the chocolate-haired boy's face, nervously shaking with reluctance. When their foreheads touched oh-so-intimately, he could see his friend darkening to a nice shade of scarlet. With both thumbs, Roxas traced over the gap between Sora's nose and his pink lips, doing the same to the gap between the blue-eyed brunette's eyebrows.

"There. A perfect masterpiece."

To say the Leonhart teen was shocked was an understatement. First, Roxas was on the armchair, and then he was next to him all of a sudden, and then _they were so close_ with their foreheads _touching_ and Roxas' hand _stroking his cheek_ and crap he felt_ warm _and fuzzy again and _ugh_, Sora, _self_, breathing in means filling your lungs with air and breathing out means releasing the air from your nostrils and GAHHH, if he moved any closer he could be ki_—_ no, why would he even think of that, Roxas woudn't appreciate that at all, his mind was going **haywire** and he was **_definitely blushing_** and why was his heart rate picking up the pace? Riku, Kairi, Naminé, save his soul while he was still alive_—_!

Wait.

What was a perfect masterpiece?

Roxas finally turned away, his demeanour calm as he changed the television channel to a documentary on animals.

.

.

Three…

.

Two…

.

One…

.

.

"Roxas?"

The older teen faced him, only to avert his eyes from him immediately. This time though, Sora could see one of the blonde's dimples rising. Okay, what was going on, why was he being ignored, why was Roxas near smiling at him, so many questions that needed answering and there was no one around to do so.

"Is there something on my face?" He questioned, tilting his mop of brown hair to one side. Did he look funny or something? Maybe some tiramisu icing on his cheek? He knew his hair was messed up from sleeping, but it didn't look that silly to make Roxas smile at him, right?

The blonde focused his attention on the documentary. "Maybe..." He singsonged, the curves of his lips really rising. "You look kind of cute like that, you know. It should be your new look."

"Whaaaaaa?" Puzzled, Sora rose to his feet and scavenged for a mirror. He checked himself in the closest bathroom, noting the darkening shade of his eyebrows-turned-unibrow and the charcoal mustache he currently sported. So all that was... Roxas drew... to think he would... Oh, he had a blonde to bust.

"You drew a mustache on me? Why would you do that?!" Sora moped, crossing his arms childishly once he returned. Roxas had the gall to stare back at him, a teehee ready to escape his lips.

"I'm sorry, I thought it would make you smile... You always do nice things for me so I thought it would... well it obviously failed. I had a piece of charcoal in my pockets so..." His friend explained guiltily. Standing up, he pulled out a handkerchief before cleaning up Sora's face. "You really did look cute, though. Just add a monocle and you'd be Sir Sora Fancypants." The dull anteater program was long forgotten.

"Oh. Umm, uhh, I... I... I didn't h-hate it..." The brunette muttered, returning to his flustered state. GAH. Go away weird feelings! This was never going to leave him, wasn't it?

"...I just didn't think you'd be the type to joke around, since you're usually, err, apathetic to everything." He threw Roxas a nervous grin. "I did look silly, huh? Hehehe."

"Now that's the Sora I know." said Roxas, touching their foreheads together. "Smile a little, will ya?"

The azure-eyed boy nodded, snaking his arms around the other's neck. Oh dear, was he allowed to do that? Should he pull away? Too late, he was already hugging the boy; honey warmth consuming him once more. Sora could drown in this heart-stopping and mind-boggling feeling forever.

An unexpected clap resounded from the dining room entrance. "And cut! Oh! This home video's going to be a hit! Ten years in the future, you two will be watching this with my future grandchildren. Oh Leon, our boy's growing up!" She wiped at an imaginary tear as Sora's father shut the video camera.

"Mreow mreow meow meow!" Whiskers and Blue agreed from behind their feet.

"MOOOOOOOM! DAAAAAAAD!"

"Dad, thirteen, Mom eleven. Darn, Tifa. You're catching up. And here I thought I wasn't going to win against you this month, hon."

"Y-You! You two are betting about my love life! That's not cool, Mom! I told you I_—_"

"_—_am very much in love with Roxas Strife. Yes Sor, I heard you the first time." Tifa grinned, leaning against her husband from "too much feels". Inviting Leon to join her little victory dance, Sora facepalmed from extreme embarrassment. Thankfully, Roxas thought it was endearing.

"Can't say I know how it feels. I only have a mother." The Strife teen whistled, checking he hadn't left anything downstairs as he readied himself to hit the hay. "They're very much just like you, Sora. Now I'm aware your unique personality's legitimately from your parents. It's amazing."

"Oh ha ha. I love them anyway... They're the only family I have, yeah?" The younger boy said back. Tifa and Leon were still at the living room, their pets joining in as they danced to pop songs playing from one of the music channels.

"I'm kind of tired. Which of the rooms are we sleeping in tonight?" Roxas stretched his arms up in the air, almost straining a muscle.

"I dunno. Where do you want to sleep? The spare bedroom's bigger."

"Hmm." Roxas gave it a thought. "I wouldn't mind sleeping in your room. It looks cozier. I'll just make space on the floor and that'll be a bed." _Plus, I'd be near you, so…_

"No way. You're taking the bed. Carpet or not, the floor's kinda cold."

"Then we can just share. I'm not letting you sleep on the floor, Sir Sora Fancypants. I'm heading up then…" The Strife teen poked Sora on the nose, something that the boy had been doing a lot lately. Ughhh, be still, racing heart…

Azure eyes trailed on his friend's disappearing form before he let out a long heartwarming sigh. Oh darn it, what the hell! Screw berating himself further, he was going straight to bed. It's been a long and tiring day. After kissing his parents goodnight and ushering the cats to bed as well, he followed the Twilight Town teen into his bedroom.

What was the world coming to. Had he known he'd be acting this way last week, he wouldn't have believed it. Fate had a funny way of messing with people, huh? But that was life, and this was his.

Sora wouldn't change it for a thing.

* * *

**My feels. 3~(Oワ****O)~P**

**Just like Sora's, they are a damn rollercoaster after writing this thing! xD *_eep_'ing all the way to Neverland* Wow. Just... wow.**

**I don't even know.**

**Chii's current action: Cannot even-ing. Everything happened too fast and I just– **

**Cannot even-ing.**

**On the info side, I've got rough plans for Smile A Little Will Ya 8 and hopefully I can make it work after this one. Geez. No words.**

**Just–**

**Yep. Still _cannot even-ing._**

**Now while I continue cannot even-ing I'll leave ya to it. I'm sorry... (/O^)\ **


	8. Breaking the Ice

**Remind me the next time I get a chapter idea to write it up immediately before the phase ends so I don't have to suffer all these months dying about it and trying to find my vibe again xD**

**Oh time. Oh managing time. Woe.**

**Hi there, Chii here with Smile A Little Will Ya 8. I've had this idea since May, but with all the weirdness and my horrible ability to juggle things I've put off writing this _until..._**

***explodes***

**I'm very glad to be working on it now. And because I am a massive staller, I bring you this huge HUGE HUGE filler chapter as payment for my awful procrastinations. SERIOUSLY, A WHOLE SEMESTER, CHII?**

**Not cool.**

**But what is cool is that you finally get to read this! (Oh joy. After so long. You deserve a thousand slaps for everyday you've put this off, self.) Thanks so much guys, you're the best readers ever! (And thank you so much anon, you know who you are, I dedicate this to you aiyaa!)**

**I DON'T DESERVE YOUR AWESOMENESS HUHAA~!**

**Sora and Roxas are my babies! But I don't own them nor do I with Kingdom Hearts. Head's up — I'm bringing you even more fluff, fail date scenes, Sora dying in his misery (it's mostly his POV) and Roxas being a sweetie. MUHAHAHA.**

**I hope you guys like this! (rewind rewind rewind)**

**No way was I going to end without a rhyme! (I almost forgot) Correction: I hope you'll have a great date with Smile A Little Will Ya, Chapter Eight! (Literally. Not even a pun but almost, I guess, oh the little things that amuse me...)**

* * *

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Smile A Little, Will Ya?

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

~Chapter Eight: Breaking the Ice~

Shutting the door to his bedroom, Sora carelessly flopped over his queen-sized bed with a loud, "OOF!", burying himself under a collection of his beloved plush toys. The cats were tiptoeing around, locating Whisker's bed at the foot of Sora's bedside table before cuddling each other and getting comfortable for the night. The brunette's room was dimmed in orange — he had this powerful multicoloured lamp sitting on his desk which could illuminate the place in either green, blue, yellow, orange or the average cool white.

Sora's room was small. Post-it notes were stuck above his desk on the light-bluish wall, including the one with Roxas' chibi drawing of himself giving the azure-eyed boy a hug. Beside the desk was his wardrobe, and on one of the doors was a full body mirror. The rest of the walls were covered in posters and pictures of himself and his friends. Elongated bedside to the left: half of it decorated with awards and trophies and empty soda bottles and candy wrappers. Lastly, Sora's bed, centered in the cramped space.

Roxas took a seat on the desk chair. "It's around half past nine. I'll get changed and we can turn in?" He stared at his hands. "To be honest with you I don't normally sleep this early. After chapter or two, maybe."

Sora sat up and agreed, albeit inwardly panicky. "O-Okay. M-Maybe we can do something before bed. You know where the bathroom is, yeah?" He watched the blonde pick up his stuff beside his desk, and, shooting him a tiny, _tiny_ smile over his shoulder, Roxas left the room with a soft "click!"

The Leonhart teen toppled back down, sighing.

Aww man, he was being ridiculous.

It seemed only yesterday that he'd been unaware of his supposedly_ secret_ feelings for the Twilight Town teen. Technically it was _last_ week, but man, his sense of time was so screwed up right now. Sora didn't know what to do with himself! He hasn't had a lot of time to decide how things are going, and it's even worse because he had nothing concrete to work on as a distraction!

Today was such a weird day too! Hiding from him at lunch? Flinching after Roxas had drawn a mustache on him? Messing up his own words? Mentally MELTING? How did Kairi handle her feelings for Riku (because it's totally obvious they liked each other) when she realized? How did Riku? Were they as bad as him (probably not) at this? Why was he so nervous around Roxas and impulsively acting like a complete idiot? What even were these questions?!

But!

But_ but_ **but!** These feelings were so new to him, so his childish reactions or whatnot were perfectly justified! Right? Of course they were, DON'T BLAME HIM FOR THIS! It wasn't like Sora got a manual when this started!

How does one even act around a person they like? How does one try not to let said feelings for said person get in the way of their friendship? He's started to get apprehensive around Roxas, but then he has to remember that they're friends too so it shouldn't be anything to worry about or the other would be able to TELL and it's just...

Blarglarglargulah!

Sora was never good at masking his feelings. But he couldn't let Roxas know about THIS! What would the guy think of him then? Sora didn't even want to brainstorm possible scenarios...

He found though, that on top of the, "Maybe I like him? I'm so confused" situation, the only other thing that has changed was the way he was seeing Roxas. They were still best friends (hell there was no way he'd want to cross that even for the better), and Roxas was still the same, only in a more _illuminated_ light, if Sora could put it that way. If he tried to ignore the voice in his head telling him about how "cute they would be together" or "how absolutely blue Roxas' eyes were" and "how totally amazing his tiny smile was" or "how sweet he was", okay, he gets it, Sora _gets_ it, please **stop**, then it was pretty much... still the same between them.

Somewhat.

While he waited for the blonde, Sora occupied himself by moving Froggy McGreen, Piggersbie and the rest of his companions around the edge closest to the bedside. He spared the kittens a glance to the left and found they were already asleep. Just him and Roxas tonight then. His three-layered duvet was already pulled out halfway from this afternoon's nap, but another blanket for Roxas to have on his own was a must. Maybe the light orange one stored at the shelf above his closet he kept specifically for sleepovers would do. Riku hated the pattern and feel of it — orange peels and hamsters in furry polyester, so he usually doesn't bring it out.

...And it smelled like old wardrobe smell and coconuts. Sora hoped his friend wouldn't mind.

He was browsing through his desk drawers when Roxas came back, his outdoor clothes swapped for pajamas with oranges printed on them.

"Oh wow. Orange overload... How coincidental that the blanket I've pulled out for you has oranges on them, ha ha." Sora commented as he made some attempt at tidying the desk before moving for the left side of the bed. Was that a weird thing to say? Roxas usually wore black so he noticed; friends could point out each others' pajama patterns on the off occasion, right? God, what WAS WRONG WITH HIM?

There was still enough space for the two of them, even with his plush toys and triple-layered covers. He'd placed the blanket on his friend's side and moved his laptop on the half-cleared bedside table before patting the space next to him.

"Really now?" Roxas sounded fascinated about this.

"Mhmm. See for yourself. You okay with the right side? I always sleep on the left so..."

Roxas, upon leaving his stuff back next to the brunette's desk, held out the blanket before getting comfortable on the bed. "You're right. Some orange theme, huh? And sure, it's all good. I would bring out Book Seven of the _Glass of Ember_ series to reread but..." He laid back on the pillow and casted a hopeful cerulean gaze at the other, "I'd rather we spent time together."

.

.

.

...Alert alert alert, brain _malfunctioning_, **what,** Roxas just said he'd rather to hang out with him than read, **what was the WORLD coming to—**

"Err, ha ha, um, well uuhh." The Leonhart teen had to look around to remind him of what he was supposed to say. Uhh, err... laptop on bedside. They could watch an episode of the Nobody Show together regardless of how much watching they'd been doing, or, uhhh, umm, play games, maybe...

He'd also managed to locate his camping flashlight somewhere in his drawers so they could tell each other spooky stories or start some shadow shows. "Oh, yeah! Err, is it alright if you close the lamp? I'm sort of stuck with all my plushies around me..."

"No prob."

A bit of shuffling and giggling, the sound of their kittens peacefully breathing and several flashlight antics later, the two were in bed, immersed in the dark, starting up a quick round of an online player vs player game where the blonde, who didn't really care much for such, kicked his best friend's butt in a matter of seconds and strategic keyboard pressing.

Sora crinkled his nose, his surprise still evident through the hushed tone. "Whaaa! That's so unfair!"

"Sorry."

"I'll get you next time, Mr Wang Yu." The azure-eyed teen poked a tongue at him.

"No way, Lady Liz. You and your pink leotard won't stop me!"

"Think again!"

.

.

.

.

.

Yeah.

...everything between the two of them was still _the same_, Sora had to remind himself. Even though he swore his ability to pick up little features about the blonde had spiked up even more, like how he blinked a lot when he's happy, and finding that tiny mole on the edge of Roxas' ear...

Three more PVP rounds and a conversation about high school and the upcoming things they should do while they were on holiday later, they both agreed to give it a rest and do something a little more menial for the coming late hours, like that random shadow show. Sora could easily move and put enough space between himself and the blonde, but he chose not to. Their sides were touching even with their separate covers, and it was warm enough to beat the winter night. Turning on the flashlight in his right hand, Sora found himself mindlessly leaning closer to Roxas.

"Scary story or shadow show? Whatcha want to do, Roxy?" He whispered in the dimness of the room.

"I've never done a shadow show. Hand shapes, right? I think I _can..._" The boy trailed off as he occupied himself with forming a flying eagle shape with both hands, its shadow reflected on the ceiling.

"Cacaw. I am the Eagle of Luck." The Strife teen crowed quietly. "Seeing me in the sky will bring you eternal happiness within the next few days. How's that?"

"Looks good! My turn now I guess... _Uhh..._ Rawr! I am the Dinosaur of Doom!" Sora joined in with his free left hand. "Oh Dearest Eagle, help me to find happiness! Everyone hates me because I bring doom. I just want to have a friend!"

"Cacaw. It is fortunate that you've asked me this, friend Dinosaur. Alas, within the next few days, you will find a friend. I guarantee you this." Glancing over at Roxas, Sora grinned as he swapped the eagle for a dog.

"Arf. The Eagle of Luck has sent me. I am Dog."

"Just Dog?" The brunette inquired out of character.

"Yeah. You'll see why."

Dog and the Dinosaur of Doom got along well. It turned out that Dog was having trouble finding a personality to fit him, so his name was just Dog. The Dinosaur of Doom tried not to bring too much doom and even offered to carry Dog around on his back (Sora had to swap the flashlight to his left hand to do this). But after much help from the Eagle of Luck, Dog became Dog of Companionship, because he and the Dinosaur got along so well. It was upon the closing acts of their impromptu show that the brunette could feel himself slowly doze off.

"Dinosaur of Doom, I think you ought to have a name change." Roxas as the Eagle of Luck told him. Sora yawned.

"Why is this, great Eagle?"

"You no longer bring doom, but have learned the value of caring, by the way you looked after your friend Dog. I hereby pronounce you the Dinosaur of Caring," the blonde had to use two thumbs as beaks to "present this honour" to Sora's left hand. The latter couldn't help but feel his cheeks warm up at this, and they looked at each other cautiously. Just... having Roxas so _close..._ every little **touch...**

"...T-Thank you, great Eagle. I will take care of my friend Dog for as long as he stays with me."

The blonde dropped the act upon witnessing Sora yawn for the second time. "Tired? That was some story, huh? I'm pretty sure it's late now."

"Dun really... want to sleep yet... How about... you...?" He turned the flashlight off and dropped it on the floor somewhere, leaving them in total darkness. Mr Bunnykins was just shy off falling when the brunette hugged the toy to himself.

"I'm a little sleepy." Roxas shivered a little, but drew the covers closer to himself. "Don't keep yourself awake for me, Sor. How about we both go to sleep together...?"

They couldn't exactly see each other, but Sora felt Roxas' fond gaze on him. And the way his hushed voice sounded... it gave the brunette so much fuzziness...

Would it be crossing the line if... he maybe reached out... and held the other's hand through the night? Or if they could sleep back to back, so he could feel Roxas' warmth directly...

No. Sora couldn't... do that... right now. It's enough that they're sharing a bed in the first place.

"Kay. Goodnight Roxy. Umm, uuh, t-thanks. For being here with me."

"Yeah. Goodnight Sora." Facing the other way and getting comfortable in his orange blanket, Roxas sighed.

"Sweet dreams."

**~o~**

He couldn't breathe.

Under the sheets, buried under an arm and a layer or two.

He. Could. Not. Breathe.

Most of him was still asleep. The other smaller part, only barely awake, was desperate to escape, to move — to find fresh air.

But when Sora tried to breathe in, he couldn't.

And when he tried to breathe out, he couldn't either.

...What was happening to him?

_"H-H-E-L-P—"_

.

.

.

It was painless, it was in his mind. He tried to say something, but he wasn't doing it in reality. Move, wake up, try to speak, one more time, please help...

Sora couldn't breathe, help, this wasn't **good—**

.

.

.

_"H-Huh... Oh damn it, what's happening, uuuuhhhh."_ There was a person beside him, previously sleeping at his right, digging him out of the covers and pulling him closer. He'd been woken up by the brunette's tossing and turning, which was rare in itself since Sora always slept soundly.

Sora hadn't been unable to breathe like this **since he was...**

.

.

.

_"Hang in there, almost got you—"_

Roxas.

_"You've been moving so much unde— oh no, you're not breathing, oh god, this isn't good, crap, crap, CRAP—"_

He felt the blonde, or who Sora hoped was the blonde, patting his back firmly and rubbing it. His voice sounded different. The spontaneity and desperation in his tone was too... too uncollected... too unlike the Roxas the brunette knew. What does one do when a person couldn't breathe? CPR? Call an ambulance? _"Please wake up, wake up, wake up—"_

Mom, Dad, could you hear him, this wasn't happening was it?

.

.

.

**...air.**

Sora could hear Roxas sigh as they looked at each other briefly, half lidded eyes on wide open ones. His muscles were so heavy and hard to move...

Eventually feeling himself engulfed in a giant bear hug, the brown-haired boy heard himself gasp even harder. _"Are you alright? Y-Y-You scared me, p-please don't do that again..."_

_"S-S-Sor-r—"_ Trying to apologize was futile... It was somehow so hard to put his thoughts into words. The azure-eyed teen couldn't understand why... WHY... but he was still very much asleep to think too much about it. Roxas was beside him, and he was holding him so close in the middle of the night. What was this? Why now of all times? What would he have done if the Strife teen weren't around? He had pulled him from under the bedsheets and woken him up from a nightmare, a bad situation... but it was all okay now.

_"Go back to sleep, I have you with me."_

There were tears prickling his eyes... freshly shed from the overwhelming feeling of... this sadness... and this unknown yet familiar feeling of terror and fear that he didn't have long... that he'd _leave_ him someday and... and he couldn't feel his arms wrap around the blonde, but Sora was positive... he was moving them.

_"It's alright now, it's okay..."_

**~o~**

When Sora awoke again, it was to the slow muttering sounds he could barely make out from his right.

"...Mother, please. I am fine. Yes, I'm aware. It's near. And no, I am not— I promise, I am in good health. Thank you, that's exactly what I've been saying. Okay, alright. I'll pick up, I assure you. Alright, byebye."

There was a long sigh and Sora could feel the bed shuffle — the guy was getting up. "I already know it's coming... Hn..."

Barely aware of his surroundings, the Leonhart teen noted his position on the bed. Face first on the pillow, a leg half-falling out. Only Piggersbie managed to stay beside him — the rest of his plushies had all tumbled to the ground. Traces of light illuminating the walls from the small window above him indicated it was already morning. Ugh. Not to mention, it was FREEZING, so he withdrew the exposed limb and hooked it behind his warm left leg.

He slept so uncomfortably, for someone sharing the bed with his new best friend/crush for the first time. Maybe it was because of last night's incident.

Ugh.

"Oh. You're awake." Roxas leaned on the blanketed lump that was the brunette just to check. His flaxen hair was all messy, and there were a few pillowcase marks on the right side of the Strife teen's face. Then he smiled. Still not an all-out happy smile, but it was good enough. Sora hid himself underneath the covers before a blush started to form.

_Seriously?_

"Good morning, blanket lump. How'd you sleep?"

"Terribly." His answer was a bit muffled from under the layers, so Roxas took pleasure in trying to dig him out. It was so cold! The last thing Sora wanted was cold air to enter his fort of pure warmth!

"I couldn't hear you, sorry. Come join me in the **cold—**"

"NO!" The burrowed Sora began to attack with kicks and punches, to which Roxas withdrew, ruffling his own hair.

"Okay, I won't— I won't dig you out anymore,_ ow,_ you definitely just kicked me at the side."

Whoops. "Sorry, are you alright?" Heck it was still so cold, but to his worry, Sora had emerged from the burrow to make sure he hadn't hurt Roxas. Of course, it was exactly what the blonde had wanted as the moment Sora had gotten out, he was immediately pinned back on the bed with a tackle hug.

"Gotcha. You took the bait, Sorbet~ You're so gullible." The whispers in his right ear gave him shivers — and yes, those were definitely not from the temperature of his room.

What was this world coming to, the brunette didn't even know anymore, he was probably still half asleep and tired, but judging from yesterday's mustache situation and what's currently HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, Sora could only conclude that _oh_, Roxas had a playful side. What does one even do with that information?! The warmth emanating from this amazingly surprising person above him made him all the more flustered, but alright, **okay**, they were good, he was **okay**, he needed to compose himself, woo.

It was going to take a while to get use to this change... ha ha...

Sora hugged back and began to wiggle under Roxas' weight. "You are so much heavier than normal. Guess I really have been fattening you up, huh?" He smelled so nice, and there was a hint of mint from the other's breath — he probably just came from the bathroom before that call. What time was it anyway...?

"I guess you have." The Strife teen wasn't getting off of him anytime soon. They laid there for a while, half listening to the rare calls of the morning birds, soaking up each other's warmth. If he'd been looking, Sora would have seen the gradually growing scarlet tint on the blonde's face.

There was something else the brown-haired teen wanted to say, but he'd somewhat forgotten what it was.

"You know, I had this weird dream last night, Sorbet... You were a chocolate ice cream... Like, a cone with legs and arms and even your brown hair... But then when I tried to say hi to you, you melted..."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah." Roxas huffed as Sora giggled at the image. So silly... so even Roxas had weird dreams, huh? "You won't mind me calling you Sorbet from now on, would you?"

"Why Sorbet?" An official nickname for him...? Everyone always called him Sor, and he called Roxas "Roxy" from time to time...

Nicknames meant they were getting closer to each other, right? Was Roxas... slowly letting him in...?

"Sorbet... because you're sweet." Roxas continued, finally sitting up and helping him up in the process. These short moments... where it was just the two of them together... Why have they changed so much for him? The beating of Sora's heart was getting louder in his ears, and he couldn't help but feel like the luckiest person on earth for being the one to see the many sides of Roxas... of his precious, supposedly nonchalant best friend. That thought alone was enough to warm him up and give him the confidence to keep doing what he did best. He would do everything he could to keep a smile on Roxas' face, and if he was doing it for completely different reasons than intended, then so be it.

"Mew."

Oh. The two teens both turned to the left side of Sora's room. Whiskers and Blue had been up for a while, making no noise, just staring at them stare at each other. The ginger kitten was on top of Mr Bunnykins, and Blue was adamantly nipping on Yankee's fluffy wing.

"How long have you guys been awake?" said the cerulean-eyed teen as he manouvered himself out of the bed to pick up his kitten and her new toy friend. He held Whiskers to himself gently and Sora watched as the former lovingly doted on their adorable pets.

"Meow."

"They're probably hungry. Shall we go down and get something to eat?"

"Yeah." Still half-buried in his blankets, Sora attempted to kick them off to join the three.

Roxas was already ahead of him when he finally remembered— last night. He hadn't thanked the Strife teen for helping him out last night. But just as he mentioned it on their way down to the kitchen, Roxas told him he couldn't remember doing such a thing, prompting him to worry that Sora's sickliness was returning instead. Once he established that he was fine, they both came down to a full family breakfast of omelette rice, hot corn soup and crème brulée for dessert. Like yesterday, Tifa and Squall were as accomodating as ever, and they carried on with their superb hosting while they both had the day off from work.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

It was that time of year again, and Roxas was somehow getting back into his... _pre_-said-time-of-year plans, per se. They weren't really real plans of sort — the blonde habitually did it because... it was the only thing he could do. Fast forwarding a few days from the sleepover and you'd think he couldn't live without Sora anymore, if tossing and turning in bed or constantly reaching for his phone was anymore of an indication. He'd even changed Sora's contact name to Sorbet, spending at most, two of his nights tracing the outline of Sora's smile on the mobile screen. He was so brilliant.

It was another Thursday evening, and the _second to last_ at that. Roxas thought of turning the thermostat on in his room, but he didn't really want to leave it overnight to beat the cold. He was saving up for something, hopefully. Blue was chewing on her favourite goose toy (she seemed to love nipping on everything lately) beside him, her little _meow meow_'s keeping his supposedly lonely home a bit livelier. Having her around kept him sane, for lack of a better word.

What was it that he used to do to cope? To keep living for a new day without his twin? Almost around this time last year, the Strife teen had purchased a thousand locks for his room back at Twilight Town and installed them all on the same day. It was an en suite, and there was a refrigerator next to the television (it was Ven's thing, the ridiculously snack-obsessed freak), so he managed to survive the splendid isolation. The year before that, he drew on the walls of the same en suite, charcoaled hands blackened like his heart, rereading over the words — _when will you come back, Ventus, please..._ AGAIN AND **AGAIN** as they looped over themselves on the beige space. He wasn't able to cover the result of his grief with paint, and his mother cried for him as he continuously destroyed himself in front of her.

This year would be different, he told himself. Roxas knew it would be. Ventus' anniversary may be coming soon, but that wasn't going to... he wasn't going to **ruin** himself like his mother believed he would do. She'd called again yesterday. And today. It was to his surprise that he'd woken up to more text messages than usual — fifteen of them coming from Hayner, Pence and Olette combined. His mother just HAD to give them his number...

There was a pile of books on top of his green duvet, and the one the blonde has opened was some fantasy story about time travel and a love so strong it could last for many lifetimes. Along with the circle of stray clothes significantly surrounding the foot of his bed, his empty dinner plate was on the floor, and his voice recorder and his brother's lucky charm were an arm's reach beside the novels. Sitting cross-legged on the duvet in... a lion suit he wouldn't be caught dead in, Roxas gritted his teeth at the sight of himself at the drawer mirror in front of him.

If he had Ven's star birthmark, they would have looked exactly alike. Even if his eyelashes were longer, and his hair was a lot tamer than his brother's. But it wasn't Ventus he saw on the mirror, and it could never be. Even if these were His favourite pajamas...

There was no letting go.

Roxas knew his friends back home were worried, because he had never wanted any help and had never asked for it. He had closed off everyone else back then, and any mention of going to a psychologist or psychiatrist made his withdrawal from those who cared about him even more imminent. _Please_, as if any of them would understand what he'd been through. He hated being told they were sorry for his loss, because if they were sorry, they would have been just like him — a broken mess on the floor with nothing left to live for. But they didn't cry like he did, and they weren't the ones who lost a piece of their souls, so they would never and could never understand.

Roxas wasn't going to do this to himself again... He wasn't going to... he refused to... he wouldn't...

He could carry on... _now that he had—_

.

.

.

"Meow~!" The grey kitten eventually got bored of her toy and proceeded to entertain herself by pawing on Roxas' leg. "Meow! Meoooow!" _Love me! Love meeeeeee,_ she seemed to be saying. The blonde snapped out of whatever world he was in and rose an eyebrow at his pet.

"You have the shortest attention span ever," he commented offhandedly, gently picking up the kitten and drawing her close to his face. Blinking back inquisitive sapphire eyes, Blue purred and licked the top of his nose. "Mew."

"Pfft... Have you already been picking up my traits, love? You are so much like me. But you're a lot cuter, aren't you, you adorable, easily-bored clingy kit?"

"Ngraow." She wanted down already — a soft paw on his cheek and Roxas knew it would be futile to fight against her wishes. "Meow." She then attempted to climb the pile of books, and eventually—

"Blue, no pouncing on the recorder. Brother Ven won't be able to hear you then." He pouted, pulling her into his lap and coddling her. Heh, pouting. Who knew he could be so animated...? And he was in lion overalls too, complete with the mane hoodie, and there was an equally adorable kitty on his lap. Oh the hilarity.

"Meow~!"

"Shall we go say hi then? And then we'll read a chapter together and maybe talk to Sorbet...?"

The cat knew her owner's... _friend_ by name, because at the mention of the nickname, she immediately looked up at him and held out a paw. It took only three days for her to learn how to give a hi five, and Roxas tilted his head in amusement at the sudden enthusiasm.

"Alright." Roxas sniffed, reaching for the recorder. "What should we tell brother Ven first...?"

.

.

.

_—This was his life now,_ the cerulean-eyed teen reminded himself as he petted Blue's fur while she slept. The kit seemed perfectly happy even when he left her at the brunette's everyday during school, and watching his pet grow without her sister taught him some things. He could do it. It was possible. And he wasn't truly alone.

He had Blue with him now, and then there was also Sora.

.

.

.

.

.

**Sora.**

Sora, Sora...

God, just thinking about _him..._ his smile and his endearing personality, that ridiculously crazy optimistic side the boy had...

Damn it, right? He couldn't smile ALL OUT like he used to YET, but being able to physically grin about something that made him happy was a big change to his persona compared to the past. And it was all because of this one brunette, who thought he could change a person's life with small token gestures to extravagant, priceless, compassionate actions.

...Roxas could do this. If not for himself, then for the boy who believed in him even without knowing his whole situation. He would always miss Ventus, the blonde knew that. But even though he still believed himself to be the pathetic lost cause he was, he was going to **try.**

Because someone so bright was adamant enough to break down his many walls and share that light with him. He'd never be able to reciprocate the same gestures, but it was his turn to make Sora smile, even for just a little while.

It wasn't terribly late yet, but squinting at the phone he used to keep in one of his drawers for months on end (because who the heck would he even talk to and why the heck would he need to use something like that when he had a whole shelf full of books), the sixteen year old knew he should sleep soon. It was nice, rereading over his first few conversations with the azure-eyed teen. _Hi. Hello. Are you awake? Good morning. I'm coming oveerrr!_ Lately though, Sor's replies have been just as minimal, like the guy was forever muling over what to say as Roxas watched the, _"Sorbet is typing..."_ bubble, only to receive a quick, _"okay"_ or _"that's so cool"_ back.

Something was bothering Sora.

And it had something to do with himself.

He'd figure it out, maybe. Naminé (she had somewhat wanted his number but he gave it to her anyway) texted him this morning that she and her twin wanted to speak with him in regards to _Sora_, so he had to be up early the next day to meet them at the library.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

"Look at you, putting books away in their proper places, Mr Industrious." Kairi grinned, leaning against the current aisle's right bookshelf. Naminé was with her, the both of them dressed in different-coloured matching winter coats. There was a trolley cart beside Roxas full of returned items, and being a part-time librarian, he was in charge of shelving them (because apparently, none of the other part-time librarians could do it right... Tch, come on people, read the labels!)

"I'm not actually doing any hard work, to be honest. If anyone else were to do this, hah. They'd be dying." He replied back, picking up another two books and scanning for the P section. The next three books belonged to Q, and that was at the next aisle. "I'm almost done with this. You girls can sit down while you wait."

"No, it's okay. We'll just watch you do your thing." muttered Naminé. She and Kairi shared this knowing look before giggling to themselves.

The afternoon was rolling in and the twins decided to pay the cerulean-eyed teen a visit during library working hours. For some reason, they knew about his part time job (courtesy of Sora), and lately, Roxas had been coming in more often to avoid being idle at home for the holidays and to earn a little bit of pocket money. It wasn't troublesome at all. For twenty dollars an hour (and the blonde worked for four), he had to shelve at least five carts of returned items and sit at reception for the remaining two hours to issue items to patrons or be available for queries. And since rent was a hundred and twenty dollars a week, his weekends during the term were sort of busy, even with his mother sending in some of her allowance every fortnight. Luckily for him, Roxas got paid after the end of every shift.

Overtime was no problem for him this winter holiday. Roxas wanted to keep himself occupied, and on top of that, he was saving up for something. And that something was in fact the very thing he wanted to discuss with Naminé and Kairi. It wasn't anything along the lines of _conspiracy_, but it was a secret regarding Sora, so it may as well be. Some half an hour of moving along the next few aisles to clear the cart or, in the twins' case, observing the wild Roxas at his line of work, the two found themselves joining the Strife teen for his break.

"I'm taking him out next week." Roxas said simply, unwrapping his sandwich. He had three others so he insisted the girls share his lunch with him so he wasn't the only one eating. "I haven't asked Sora yet, but I will soon. We'll be leaving Destiny Village however, so it's sort of far. And a tiny bit pricey with the travel fares. But it's worth it if I want to make him happy."

...Kairi gasped, her eyes widening at the confession. Naminé too. After a minute of silence, almost choking on their sandwiches and the exchange of communicative sapphire gazes, they bursted out into a fit of giggles and unstoppable "aww"ing. It was a good thing they were at a secluded part of the library because they were so loud... The ever-so-serious Roxas didn't understand what the big deal was.

"That's so sweet, Roxas! Where are you taking him? We were actually gonna tell you today that maybe it's time to make a move on Sora, since, well, he's probably dying of confusion and would be too flustered to do anything, haha. Turns out we don't have to convince you anymore! Nam even has adorable pictures of Sor that she was going to blackmail you with, pfft. Oh, this is so awesome, **finally!**" The red-haired girl smirked as she wiped a proud tear away. Blackmail material... What were these girls trying to plot?

"He's going to be happy wherever you take him. Just... not to a garbage site or makeshift gladiator fight. Somewhere within reason of course." Naminé added, her smile just as wide as her sister's. The reddening of Roxas' cheeks as he told them this didn't escape her notice, and it was enough for her to one hundred percent believe that both the boys' feelings were mutual for each other. So adorable...

"It's winter, and while I've never seen snow and know that snow doesn't fall here, I was thinking of maybe doing something season-themed. There's a really popular ice skating arena at Traverse Town, and the most efficient way to get there is two hours by bus. I've also already reserved tickets for a nearby circus online so I'll just have to pay when I get there. Do you think he'll like that?"

"Oooooh man, it already sounds like a perfect first date; I'm so excited for the both of you...!" Fanning herself with both hands, Kairi took a deep breath to avoid the "couldn't even" phase again. "_"And his prince, who worked long hours at the library to cover every fare, including two bus tickets, ice skating shoe rentals and admission, a romantic lunch and dinner and two circus passes in order to spend time with his one true love, succeeded in writing their happily ever after..." _Nam, save me from the feels...!"

"No way, Kai! I'm still trying to grasp the reality of it all myself!"

Roxas, who had eventually finished his lunch and thermos of hot chocolate, was listening to them bicker in front of him. He silently wondered how Sora could deal with them and their peculiar phases and random bouts of emotion... What was it with girls and their _feels _or whatever? But he wouldn't deny that their calling this a _date _wasn't amusing. He really did like Sora, but this was hardly a date. It was merely a day out with a friend the blonde was very much fond of to sort of repay him for all the nice things he's done for him. This couldn't even compare to Sora's selfless gestures for him over the months.

He scrunched his nose. "It'd be nice if it were a date, but..."

"**But? **But WHAT?" That seemed to catch their attention. "You're paying for everything, you like him, he likes you, how is this not a date?!"

"He can't like me..." Turning the other way, the cerulean-eyed teen grasped the neck of his thermos as he focused on a chair somewhere across the room. "Lately he's been a bit distant when I try to talk to him. Probably thinks it's awkward so I'm a little worried he'll even say yes." He didn't deny their accusation of his own feelings for Sora, but still...

"Oh wow, you two are completely _hopeless_." Back to square one it was. And here Kairi thought she didn't need to explain anything after that date announcement. "You know, there's this thing called denial, and you two are drowning in it." Before he could protest, she shushed him and continued, "Shhh, let me speak. We were going to let nature run its natural course but if we wanted something to happen it would probably be in a million years' time so, forgive us for intruding. If you don't know it yet, then let me tell you that Sora is terrified you might reject him or some sort, and that's why he's a little distant because it's just recently that he found out he has a crush on you and he's confused."

"You think Sora has an _actual_ crush on me?" The blonde boy wanted to clarify.

Naminé sighed. "He'll get mad if he finds out about this, sis."

"He **won't**. And If he does find out, he'll thank me instead. Now, why do you think he's been hanging out with you for so long? It's because you're special to him, for reasons I can't explain, and sure, call it wanting to tackle a challenge he's never faced before, the competitive weirdo, but it isn't entirely that. You definitely haven't noticed it but he's been smiling more because of you. Just calling him on the phone, the three of us best friends can tell his slightly bubblier voice tone from his usual ecstatic one. And his eyes are a lot brighter too. Heck, if he went around hugging every single person he helps I will thwap his head for being a creeper and sure he's touchy feely but not to the extent where he'd go all in the rain to walk with someone to school and the only reason he's withdrawing right now is to distract himself so he doesn't end up exploding from embarrassment and—"

"Okay, okay, I _get_ it." Roxas gritted his teeth, still staring at that one chair. He secretly considered that maybe Sora felt something for him as well, but it was too farfetched considering... it was him they were talking about. He wasn't worth all that trouble for someone so dear and marvellous and _hah_. Maybe he _was _drowning in denial.

"You _do_ like him, don't you? Like, like _like_? You just admitted you wished it were a date." The blonde girl inquired, eyebrows furrowed in the process.

"I do."

"And he likes you too, so there isn't a problem anymore! Happy couple, happy everything, _hurrah, hurrah!_ Give the boy a prize!" Kairi gestured to her sister to hand over the aforementioned adorable Sora photographs from her polaroid. "Well then, with this upcoming date already established, our business here is done. Don't worry. We won't intrude anymore, so take your time telling him how you feel. He'll come around too once he sees that his feelings for you are mutual."

They both got up and thanked him for the sandwiches and wasted no time fixing up their winter coats before heading for the door. "Don't leave it too long, though! We'll still be watching from the sidelines for the next episode in Sora and Roxas' love story. Episode 53, the long awaited date! You both take care, okay?"

.

.

.

...Girls. Even as he resumed his shift at the reception and relieved one of the older ladies from cataloguing work, Roxas still found it necessary to ask himself why they were so odd. He'd never know.

What he did know for sure was that he was going to try his absolute best to give Sora the most amazing first _date_ ever.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Random plans for Sorbet: a checklist of what to do to make him happy

_1) Day out (no, date. Day out. If you say it fast enough it sounds like "date"... Whatever, it's the same thing _(￣Д￣)ﾉ_) I'm taking him ice skating and to a circus. I never asked him if he'd been to both before, but judging from his never being out of Destiny Village except for the rare sports competitions, he probably hasn't. I don't plan on asking him either because I want it to be a surpise._

_2) Then there's picking him up at home to school and dropping him off. Now that I think about it, he's always happy to see me._

_3) More lunches. I'm nowhere near as good the ever-so-boastful, current month's **Leonhart Master Chef** but I'd like to take the time to prepare him food more often._

_4) Try to smile more, maybe? Ven's anniversary is in a few days. I can do this. I'll prove that everything Sora's done for me wasn't a waste of time. And Mother will be happy for me instead of constantly worrying. I really do adore him, and I miss her as well._

_...I will be okay._

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Remember almost a week ago, when Sora thought he wanted to die because of exams?

Currently, he was kind of suffering a similar mind blank, and the brunette couldn't decide which was worse between the two. It kind of reminded him of this picture he saw online — something along the lines of, "Your brain is so amazing, it works nonstop to keep you alive but only stops when you're in an exam or see someone attractive" or whatever. Roxas called him just a while ago, and the boy had to pinch himself three times because he thought he was dreaming. Not that he always dreamed about Roxas, hah, **no way**, a_hahahahahaha_, what? Pfft!

Whiskers was tackling the refrigerator — a sign she wanted to eat. His mother was at the laundry room chucking the clothes in the dryer and sorting out the next batch, loud washer noises audible even at the dining room. At least she couldn't see how piteous he was. Oh woe, woe, woeeeee...

Picking the cat up and scavenging the cupboards for her favourite canned food, Sora put her on the table and emptied the can into her food bowl. "Don't tackle things, Whiskers. You'll hurt yourself."

"Mew."

The azure-eyed teen then proceeded to start worrying about his inescapable predicament. A day out with Roxas... with only the two of them (nothing new about that though)... to some surprise place outside town. _Bring warm clothes and make sure to wear socks_, Roxas said._ I'll pick you up at your house on Monday, _he said. Sora had no time to think of a proper reply, but he agreed to go anyway, albeit eagerly at that. _"Y-Yes of course! Uuhh, that sounds awesome, I'd love to go!" _Could he be any more pathetic?

_"Great. I promise you'll love it. Don't worry about the expenses — I've got it all covered, mmkay? See ya soon."_

_._

_._

_._

Gaaaaaaaaah, what to do what to do what to dooooooooo?! This was ridiculous, he's been out with Roxas before, but never alone! And never OUT OF TOWN EITHER! The blonde seemed confident that they'd get there and back in less than twelve hours, and Sora trusted him. But that wasn't what he was worried about. As Whiskers bathed herself after her meal and the brunette continuously paced around the dining room with his hair in his hands, the thought that this was A DATE couldn't escape his mind. That very thought alone was so foreign and heartstopping that in his shock, his subconscious took over, erased all signs of rationality and repeatedly flashed the words DATE DATE DATE DATE DATE in front of his eyes.

Any more stupid Google articles about crush advice would make the boy's head explode, for God's sake. _If you have pointed your shoes at his direction, then this might be a sign you like him. _GAAAAAH!

"GAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"Woah, Sora dear. Are you alright?" His mother asked him from the next room.

"Fine, Mom! Sorry, just thinking!" She stuck her head through the door to check that he was in fact, alright, and upon seeing him circling the table in a panic, grinned. "Oh poor baby. If this is about Roxas—"

"Mom!"

"I've known you for sixteen years, Sora, and I've watched that video about a dozen times to know that you do like him. Trust me, love. It'll get better soon." Then she went back to the laundry.

Sora gradually sunk to the ground even after hearing the encouragement. He cared none for what he would wear (warm clothes and socks like the blonde said — there was a really comfortable blue hoodie he liked and his waterproof black pants would do) but worried more about how he was going to handle the day. The ginger kitten had already walked around the perimeter of the table to find the safest way to get down, and, once she leaped on and slid down one of the chairs, she ran to him and frantically climbed his sweats.

"Okay, okay, picking you up. Sorry. Oh Whiskers, what do I do now? I'm aware it's just another day out but I can't help but feel so nervous. Why? WHYYYYY?"

"Meow meow." Blink. Blink. Her tail was still pretty short compared to a full grown cat's tail, but the kitten was curling and uncurling it.

_His friends... Talk to your friends._

Kairi.

Naminé.

"Nooo!" He responded firmly. "I can't talk to them about this! They'll laugh at me! And Riku said he wouldn't help me so he's out too! I am so doomed."

"Mreeeeow..." That could have been Whiskers' interpretation of, "it's entirely up to you" in the language of cats, but Sora could only assume that since he couldn't really meow.

"Don't give me that look! You're going to make me consider it, are you?"

"...mreeow."

"Stop."

"Mew."

"No."

"...meow."

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.

.

...And so after much deliberation and telling himself to suck up his pride, Sora finally consulted his best friends about the... date. He had two days to prepare, and the brunette was unsure if this was good or a bad thing. Good being he had enough time to prepare. Bad being that was too long a time to wait. The girls were more than helpful with reinstructing him to bring comfortable clothes and leaving unnecessary baggage, and instead of laughing at his misery like he believed they would have done, they both told him to keep it cool and be himself. "You guys are best friends, are you not? He won't care if you're acting different. If anything he'll think it's endearing."

"Pretend it's an English speech and imagine him naked. No wait, actually _no_, don't do that, bad advice Naminé, bad. But you know what I mean. Just take deep breaths and you'll do fine. Bring your Dramamine, kay? Do you have new ones somewhere in the house?"

"I'll ask Mom to buy some. Thanks you two."

After getting off the phone, Sora had immediately rushed upstairs to begin his preparations because, why leave it till last minute? In the process he found his favourite woolly scarf and matching beanie and chucked those on top of his bed. Warm clothes... did that include gloves too? Roxas hadn't told him where they were heading. Maybe they were going to see snow?!

Wherever it was, all that mattered was he was with the blonde. Hnnnnnnn... Monday couldn't come any faster!

**~o~**

It was night time. Sora was just about to go to bed when he'd remembered the orange blanket Roxas used for their sleepover back inside his closet and decided to sleep with it. Nothing creepy about it, HAH. Said blanket now smelled like coconuts and honey, and, well, it was almost like Roxas was beside him. Okay, maybe that was a little creepy. He was sorry! The brunette couldn't sleep with so much anticipation in his nerves, and pestering Roxas with questions when it was already late would kill the fun in keeping their "date location" a surprise.

**~o~**

Saturday, three pm. Sora threw himself on the sofa after lunch at Riku's. Whiskers actually got along with Diana, and the cockatoo was more than happy to learn how to meow instead of learning human speech. The silverette and himself had played video games all day, and since the weather outside wasn't too bad, they also hanged out some at Riku's backyard and climbed the trees that stood there like they always did. He looked for the remote and went channel browsing as he waited an hour for the Nobody Show. Suddenly, an hour didn't seem so long anymore.

**~o~**

Seven pm. His mom was working night shift and his dad made them both a creamy mushroom and beef stroganoff dish for dinner. The ginger cat was already asleep by the time he'd emerged from the bathroom to see how he could fix his hair. Granted, he'd wear his beanie over it, but the azure-eyed teen still wanted to make sure it was okay _if_ it came off. And he _may_ have practiced a few facial expressions to keep himself from acting too weird. Just a _few_. He learnt there was no stopping a blush unless it was dark or he could turn away as subtly as he could.

**~o~**

Sunday morning. Sora woke up to a dream of already going **on** the date. They built a few snowmen and watched the shooting stars and when the Leonhart teen wasn't looking, Roxas kissed him on the cheek. Oh haha, risky territory there. Nope. Nope. If he fell out of bed one more time, he'd hurt himself. Hurting himself equals not being to go tomorrow equals forever sad face good game. **Tomorrow!** Tomorrow, yay! He probably shouldn't be too excited. Being super excited for something was usually bad news because one's expectations usually exceeded reality. No more hype. No more.

**~o~**

Sunday afternoon. Roxas called him to check in. The blonde didn't know he was prone to motion sickness because of his background, so he'd told him just in case. It's why Sora usually walked to places. The Strife teen told him he was currently in town so he'll buy him some tablets, and no matter how many times Sora told him his mother would get them instead, Roxas wouldn't agree. "I got it covered, Sorbet. Do you need Paracetamol too?" The thought of Roxas shopping for him made his heart palpitate. He bashed his head against a pillow to counter the feels.

**~o~**

Night time again. Nope. _Nope_. **Nope**. He was going to sleep fine and wake up early and eat breakfast early and brush his teeth early and fix his hair early and change into warm clothes early and grab his bag early and leave his house with Roxas early. Dwelling on it tonight would mean he wouldn't be able to sleep and being tired for tomorrow equals not being to enjoy himself equals... yes, he gets the point.

Woe.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Commencing Special Phase One: The Unforgettable Day-Out-Date!

_"Nine am, Sora! Wakey wakey! Wakey wakey! Oi, self. Get up! GET UP!"_

Sora rarely used alarms. He had an automatic body clock, so no matter what time he slept, he'd immediately rise early. He woke up at school time as usual but because it was the holidays, he decided to burrow himself back and sleep in. Whiskers was at the right side of his bed, half covered by the orange polyester blanket.

The rare chance that Sora did rely on alarms, like today, they were usually voice recordings with several others coming up, each alert five minutes apart. Five past nine, ten past nine. Eight fifty-five am. Eight fifty am.

_"Wakey wakey! Muuu__. You know, if you stay asleep, Mom and Dad will come in and turn me off and then they'll figure out that you've got a date today and fine, argue with me that they already know and that it's not a date because calling it a date is embarrassing but they'll mock you and talk about that weird home video and grandchildren and you're going to die even more of embarrassment so you better ge—"_

"I'm up!" Insanity at its worst — the brunette was shouting at a recording he made himself for the very purpose of riling him up in the morning. It was ten times colder in his room, so he wrapped himself up burrito style in the orange blanket to counter the cold temperature, making sure to avoid waking up his pet. Then he wormed his way down the stairs, butt-first. Leon found Burrito-Sora crawling across the lounge and cracked himself up.

Little did the brunette know that Roxas did the exact same thing just over an hour ago, with the exception of being all alone at home. The blonde's house didn't have stairs, so it was easier (not really) to get around to the kitchen. Classic rice crispies and milk tea for breakfast — quick and easy to make. One brisk shower, his twin's favourite cream fleece jacket, some gloves, red waterproof trousers, shoes and a hat later, he was making his way out the door with a satchel containing everything he needed and a sleeping Blue to drop off for pet sitting.

The long-awaited knock didn't come until Sora had finished debating over which socks to wear. Plain white, plain black, grey or multicoloured? He was sitting on his desk chair checking himself out in the mirror when his mother called him from downstairs. "Roxas is here, sweetie! He's brought Blue!"

"Just a second!" The ginger kitten was barely waking up, and after deciding on wearing grey socks, the boy carried her in his arms and thundered down to meet their guests.

Of course, mid-thundering down, Sora figured he should probably slow down so a) he wouldn't fall over with Whiskers and b) he wouldn't seem too excited. Roxas was standing by the door wearing his outdoor satchel and carrying Blue's kitty basket in his right hand. Luckily enough, on her days off, Tifa gladly looked after the kittens (there were already a few home videos in her camera of them pouncing around) whenever the two boys couldn't, as she was really fond of cats.

The blonde spoke first, putting the basket down on the floor. "Um, hi Sorbet." It was amazing what bright-coloured clothes could do to Roxas' form — at least, in the brunette's mind, his crush/friend looked a hundred times, well, brighter. Combining that with the tiny smile Roxas wore immediately after seeing him was a massive blow to his already unstably-beating heart. But whilst all this happened with Sora internally, the boy was simply grinning stupidly in reality. Wooooow.

"You, um, look great, ha ha. Have you eaten breakfast? Dad probably has some leftover apple pie—"

"I have eaten, but thanks. You, err, you look great as well, Sor." He muttered, extending a hand out to flick through Sora's fringe. Tifa who was leaning against the china cabinet in the living room was tempted to clear her throat as she overlooked the boys' interactions. Oh her dearest baby Sora...

After a few moments of simply gazing at one another, Roxas checked for the time. "Oh, well, we better get going. Bus leaves at around ten forty-five. Do you have a few spare warm clothes?"

Sora nodded, but realized his bag was still upstairs by his bed. Excusing himself, the azure-eyed teen left the half awake kitten with his mother and quickly dashed back up to grab it. Once downstairs, he saw the blonde talking to his mother and bowing gracefully as she took Blue's basket.

"I'll have him home by ten pm, Mrs Leonhart. The packet says one pill thirty minutes prior to travelling, is that correct?"

"That's right. Sora knows what to do. You boys have fun now. Take your time and stay safe!"

.

.

.

It was silent for a while between them as they made their way out of Sora's street and continued towards the town route. The local weather was somewhat tame, but as it was winter, the air was still chilly and they unconsciously chose to walk closer to each other. Warm puffs of breath visibly formed in front of them, and their gloved hands, scarfs and bonnets kept them comfortable.

Out of nowhere, Roxas started to shoot the Leonhart teen funny looks from the right, and the brunette kept trying to catch him doing so once he felt the feeling of being stared at. It was completely random, but it felt so normal for them to be together like this. To do really ridiculous things in one another's presence. Once Sora caught Roxas mid-poking his tongue out, they both started snickering at each other.

"Oh my gosh, are you _giggling_?" The realization that Roxas was in fact, laughing for the first time had dawned on Sora and he _definitely_ couldn't help but notice that.

"N-No, I'm not. Not giggling. I don't giggle."

"Just now, you _were_! I can't believe this, _t__he_ super serious Roxas Strife is actually giggling."

"Don't believe it because it didn't happen."

"Liar!"

"You're delusional."

"Why are you trying to deny it, you definitely just giggled." Almost forgetting this was his crush he was talking to, Sora continued to poke fun at the blonde on the way to town. It wasn't far, and they still had plenty of time to spare before the designated bus time.

"Nuh-uh. Did not."

"Did."

"Hn."

The brunette rolled his eyes. "Are you for real, now you're going to _hnn_ at me?"

"Yes I am. That means I win." Roxas said finally, bumping his companion to the side before taking his hand and walking ahead. "Come on, we better walk faster." There was a forming blush on his cheeks that could have been easily mistaken as the effects of the weather on his skin, but he definitely wanted to avoid talking about it should Sora catch a glimpse of it. The latter on the other hand found himself feeling a lot more confident after that incident and he visibly relaxed as they walked in step with each other.

**~o~**

Upon their arrival to town, the two boys had to manouver themselves through a few passersby, all wearing several layers under business suits or casuals to counter the climate. Who knew it was so busy today? Granted it was a Monday morning, so there were people on phones filtering to and fro the shops to look around or purchase what they needed. There was a parade of buses all lined up in the parking lot of the bus terminal across the local library — all of them heading to different places based on the monitors displayed in every front of each vehicle. They were just about to cross the road to head there when one of the ladies from the library called out to Roxas and gave him her thanks.

"Not on shift today, love? You were coming in everyday since Tuesday."

"Not today, Mrs P. You could say I'm reaping what I sowed." He held Sora's hand up, and with understanding eyes the old woman nodded.

"Ahh. Well that's very nice of you. Take care now. We appreciate having you around, Roxas."

It wasn't until after they had gone through the terminal (thank goodness there were very few lines) and boarded their bus that Sora asked what that was all about. The middle seats were the least occupied of spots, and for the brunette's sake it was much closer to the bus toilet and easier to directly leave through the middle door. It wasn't a two-storey bus like the other three lined up next to it, but it was still travel-worthy, especially to a somewhat far off place like Traverse Town.

"Was that someone you work with, Rox? What did she mean by you coming in everyday?"

"Hmm? You want to know about Mrs P?" Roxas had handed his satchel to Sora to search for the Dramamine chewable packet while he momentarily went to the front to show their paid return tickets to the bus driver. Aside from that familiar star-shaped charm and the neatly-folded (bright-coloured) spare clothes, there was an icepack and a whole packet of vomit bags in the older teen's satchel, along with some headache pills, a travel pillow, drinks, Sora's favourite chocolate and bandages. Roxas was thoroughly prepared for today...

He opened up the medicine box and chucking one pill in his mouth, began to chew when the blonde had returned.

"I seem to recall you like strawberry over lemon. Is it alright?"

"Yeah, thanks. Now tell me about work! I s-should have known you were busy all week..." Well, in actuality, Sora was too conflicted to talk to Roxas all week even when he wanted to. First crush or whatnot, they were still friends, so it shouldn't have been hard but...

It's nothing really." Roxas shrugged, leaning against the back of his seat. "I've just been working extra to pay off this trip. You've been doing so much for me these past few months and, well, I wanted to do something for you too. Even if it's something as little as taking you to a really cool place, because I know it won't compare to having you beside me right now." Cerulean orbs looked everywhere and anywhere but at Sora. "Sorry if it seems I've been hurrying us up too much... I'm... really excited for this."

The blonde didn't know he was pouting, and when the two met each other's gazes, they both quickly looked away.

...

...

...**aww.**

That was... so sweet...

Now Sora knew how Roxas felt about wanting to repay his favours, because just looking at those items the blonde brought or witnessing his friend's childish, affectionate side made him _so_ grateful that the other boy cared enough for him to bring his favourite chocolate bar or have him humbly talk about working to take him out. Did he really do all this for **him**? Did Roxas willingly go out of his way to do this for **him** and _him alone_? _"...because I know it won't compare to having you beside me right now..."_ Eeep! Hearing that from this unbelievably superb individual he happened to be really fond of made him blush tenfold — God, he'd probably be rivalling the hue of Mars right now.

Darn, how much did everything cost? But just like him buying the Glass of Ember series months ago (Sora's friends were really to thank for that), costs don't matter if you really care about someone, because their happiness is priceless in itself. Ahhhhh! What was this feeling in his chest, or the ever-so-growing collection of butterflies in his stomach in response to having someone care about him so much?

All this time, it'd always been him making other people smile. He was always thinking about other people over himself, and it mattered not that only a select few cared for him as much as he did for others. He _loved_ making people happy. Sure, Sora's had other people do the same for him, but never to the extent of planning every little thing like he did, or sacrificing their own time and happiness for his sake.

Sora didn't care who was looking when he slowly and hesitantly snuggled against the Strife teen, a thousand "thank you"s on his lips. Roxy was so warmhearted, gaww...

"I should be thanking you, Sorbet. I really hope you like where we're going."

At quarter to eleven, give or take a few minutes, their bus took off and headed for the motorway exiting the quaint and quiet Destiny Village. It had been a long while since Sora last saw the several tall trees lining the highway road, their elongated trunks and branches sturdier than the last. A body of water that was more the sea than a separate lake could be seen from either side, and the brunette kept his eyes open for the rare billboards and streetlights.

He didn't feel the nausea kick in until the bus picked up speed. Were buses always this fast, because the turbulence was a little intimidating... All the other passengers were busy doing their own thing, and Roxas was on his phone texting his mother, probably. Being in motion for longer than ten minutes, especially if there were several twists and turns ahead was never a good thing for him. Short rides were alright. Sora took a deep breath to will the terrible imbalance in his stomach away and tried to rest his eyes.

"Ugh..." Two hours wasn't too long... right? It wasn't like his head was hurting that bad. When Roxas took notice, the blonde pulled out the travel pillow from his satchel and hooked it around Sora's scarved neck. Then he guided the azure-eyed teen's head onto his shoulder.

"Take it easy, okay..." The gentle pats on his arm made him feel better, at least. Their day out was barely starting but already, as his friend absentmindedly hummed a tune to help him sleep, the Leonhart teen wished that it wouldn't end so quickly.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Sora was asleep on his shoulder.

Only a select few people knew about Roxas' nurturing side. The brunette did tell him about his biological sickliness a few weeks ago, and for such a strong individual like him, it was almost unbelievable that Sora used to be so frail. He didn't stay frail, that was for sure. Instead of letting such a fate dictate his life, he stayed positive and grew stronger, for his sake and those around him. Then he proceeded to brighten people's lives as a result of his experience. The brunette was no longer bedridden, but motion sickness and the occasional bouts of breathlessness were still present.

Now, as he carefully stroked the few falling strands of his friend's fringe from under his bonnet back into place, Roxas thought there was absolutely no way he'd let anything happen to this angel. The knowledge that Sora maybe probably definitely_ maybe_ liked him too was evident through the short flustered moments the other tried so desperatedly to hide, and it was so cute... How was it that he hadn't noticed it before? Sora's budding feelings... and _his_ own... And he was supposed to be the smart guy, heh.

Never... He'd never ever let anything happen to Sora, ever.

Roxas was currently on the lookout for any recognizable buildings similar to the ones he had researched on some days ago. Famous food outlet sign... The power tower next to a few not-so-well-known shops... He was positive they were almost to the main Traverse Town bus terminal, which, according to the maps, was about a two hundred meter walk from the ice skating arena. Traverse Town was city-based, and therefore not as widely affected by the weather as the coastal Destiny Village. Despite this, the locals Roxas could see around were stylishly dressed for the cold.

"Last stop, everybody, last stop!" The bus driver announced through the speakers just in case. There was a massive speed bump along the entrance of the parking lot that woke Sora up suddenly, sending him into a panicked frenzy. "No! I'm not ready to die!" He gripped onto Roxas' arm and tried to hide under it for protection until the bus had come to a complete stop.

"Shh. We're here now, you're safe with me." Roxas told him as he tried not to react to the outburst. The chocolate-haired teen had been clinging to him tightly, only to abruptly let go when he came to his senses. "'Msorry."

Aww, adorable angel...

He quickly packed up his satchel and double checked Sora was alright before they both stood up and began to leave.

.

.

.

"Waaaah! Traverse Town is so lively! It's got a lot of neon signs even in the day, huh?" Sora exclaimed as he glanced over the tall buildings and wacky streetlights. The streets were narrower than Destiny Village's local town, and the excessive use of neon lightings gave it a sort of futuristic look. Roxas took pleasure in seeing how overjoyed his beloved friend was.

"It does." he replied. While Sora skipped ahead and joyfully toured the current lane, Roxas followed close behind, still looking out for right direction. "Want me to lead you to the place with your eyes closed or do you want to see it for yourself?"

"Oooh! T-That sounds cool. I like surprises."

"Alright then." They just had to turn left the next corner and walk across a small field to get to the ice skating arena, hopefully passing by the circus tent in the process. "I'm going to lead the way, you just keep walking, yeah?"

"Got it."

It was too bad Sora wouldn't get to see the rest of the town as the Strife teen closed the gap between them and kept Sora's eyes shut with gloved hands. "Walk twenty paces forward and turn left. I'll tell you when." He whispered next to the other's ear. Then he let go and gently pulled him by the hand through a throng of city people, his eyes never leaving Sora's form.

**~o~**

The ice skating arena was a lot bigger inside compared to the shots Roxas had seen online. There was a souvenir shop directly to the left upon entering, then in front of them was a hall leading to the three-person reception. Further forward to the left was a room for equipment rentals, the person managing it hopping from one shoe aisle to the other to find the appropriate requested sizes. According to the signage and the direction the commonfolk seemed to be going, the right side of the hall would lead to two ice skating rinks: the popular public skating rink and the further, slightly larger private rink reserved for professional ice skaters and ice hockey practices.

"Wow, it's cold. We're in a building right? I think we are. Is this where we're going to build snowmen?" Sora with his eyes still closed inquired. Well, the boy's guess wasn't far from the actual thing. Roxas approached him and adjusted his friend's beanie and scarf a bit, generally making sure he was warm enough.

"You can open your eyes now, Sorbet."

...And so the latter slowly did. The first thing the brunette saw as he blinked several times wasn't even his surroundings — it was Roxas wearing a face he'd never seen before, a nervous and anticipating one, maybe._ Was the blonde actually biting his lip? _Sora circled the place and sidestepped around the hall, searching for any clue to where "here" was.

Was it an indoor snow mountain? He'd heard of such places in the past. The rooftop was concave-shaped, almost similar to Destiny's aquarium dome. A LED sign above the reception displayed the room temperature of negative six degrees, and several people crowded the hall, their fat winter coats varying in colours.

Then he saw the ice skating shoe and beginner's rails rental room and gasped.

"Ice skating?" Sora turned to Roxas with a dumbfounded yet eager expression on his face. "Ice skating, we're going _ice skating_, we're— we're going ice skating. Roxas, I don't know how to ice skate. I've n-never been ice skating, this is so cool, we're— w-we're going to_ ice skate_."

"Y-Yeah, yeah we are. Do you like it? I though it'd be nice to try something new but appropriate for the season. I'm not too bad at it, it's alright if you can't. I'll teach you." Keeping Sora steady was futile — he couldn't contain how shocked he was as he jittered about on the spot. The brunette kept grabbing at Roxas' hands or tugging at his jacket, occasionally even covering his face to cope with the excitement of doing something new with the cerulean-eyed teen.

"I love it! Aww, we h-haven't even started and I'm already excited. This is going to be awesome! Thank you, Roxas. Aww..." God help him, his heart was beating so fast as he suddenly jumped at the blonde and hugged him tight. The other seemed perfectly happy lifting him up and swinging him around, both grinning stupidly in each other's arms.

"I'm so glad you're happy, Sora..."

When the hype slowly died down and the awkward zones were well behind them, the two boys queued behind the shortest reception line, holding each other's hands.

"We've got around four hours until the six pm circus show. That's enough time right? See the tent outside these doors?"

"We're going to a circus TOO?"

"Sure. Action-packed day huh?" Roxas turned to him and gave him the most sincere smile he's ever had. Damn it, these emotions were going to be the death of him. Roxas was too amazing for doing this, Sora didn't even know how to properly react! His heart... he couldn't— was he even allowed to be this happy, to be the one with Roxas like this, his heart, this was all too much—

_Breathe in, breathe out._ He couldn't have asked for a more perfect place to be.

Fitting their skates and helmets was the next phase after covering the entrance fees. For his petite size, it was a wonder how Sora was a size ten. They were sort of heavy, and the odd buckles and laces were a little confusing so Roxas offered to put them on for him. Although Sora didn't have terrible balance, getting to the rinks on metal blades was a whole new level of talent. A talent which the blonde, who was experienced with the sport, seemed to be a natural at.

"Are you sure you don't need one of the beginner's rails? There's a walrus sled we could rent."

Sora shook his head. "I want you to teach me how to skate. And if I fail, which I hope I won't, then we could rent it." Left foot in, right foot in... He needed Roxas' shoulder for support, and once he got the hang of it, the azure-eyed teen chuckled as he waddled ridiculously towards the public rinks. "Yay! Woohoo! I'm walking on skates!"

Hiding his amusement was now a difficult feat for Roxas when it comes to Sora's antics. The latter couldn't wait to test the ice upon their arrival, and he almost tripped over as the boy attempted to imitate one of the jumping ice skaters on the rubbery floor. Every minute of last week was worth working for if it meant seeing Sora's happy-go-lucky self illuminate the whole room. "Roxy! Oooh! Can we eat there afterwards?" The brunette pointed to the cafeteria within the two barricaded rinks. A wall separated the two, and encircling them both were tiers for onlookers and resting skaters. Whilst the public rink was occupied by people skating to their heart's content, the private rink had an ice hockey practice on schedule, the players armouring up at the sidelines. Under the domed ceiling hung a disco ball, and at the current moment, the public rink's normal lights were turned on.

The blonde agreed as he stored their belongings in one of the secure lockers for hire. "I'll just put this away and we can go. Are you excited?"

"Of course! I love trying new things." Sora wiggled to the jumpy beat of the music playing. He held his hand out for the Strife teen and they both supported each other on the way to the ice. The first step was the most exhilarating, Sora found as he felt his left blade slide against the slippery surface.

"Woah, okay, I'm alright, ahaha! Woo." Good thing there was a wall around the rink! Slowly... slowly, _slowly_, he placed his other foot on the ice and struggled to keep himself upright even with his grip on the wall. Skating beside him was the cerulean-eyed teen, cautiously guiding him from falling flat on his face.

"How is it?"

Beaming, Sora held a thumb up. "I'll be fine! I just need to—" Slowly... slowly, _slowly_, let go of the wall, uuh, nope, **nope**, going to fall, going to slip, whoops... He instinctively grabbed onto Roxas and wrapped his arms around the other's waist.

"...get used to it. I'm sorry, I'm not good at this."

Tilting his head to one side, Roxas blinked at their near proximity, noses almost touching. "There's a first time for everything. There's this thing yeah? Falling on the ice is nothing if you know how to properly do it. It's not that bad. If you feel yourself toppling over, do it on your side. It's safer that way. And you can easily get up from that." Their cloudy puffs of breath were mingling as the duo stared at one another.

"How about skating itself?"

"V-formation. Lift one foot after the other and slide forwards while forming the letter V. You can break in two ways: with your heel, which is the easy way. That or you could swerve your body so the side blade of your shoes scrapes the ice." He pointed at one of the skaters demonstrating it before stepping out of the rink. "Think you can practice that? I'll be closeby."

"Yeah!"

It's easier said than done because once Sora tried to let go, it was only a few seconds until he flailed and grappled for his friend's support and they collided at his panic, sending them both down on the ice.

**~o~**

Baby steps. Regardless of the intimidating rush of expert ice skaters flying past and busting out their moves, Sora wasn't discouraged from trying as he scaled the perimeter of the rink. He did have some wall-scaling companions and compared to them, he was a lot more agile and confident. The lights had been dimmed so the cold room mimicked the appearance of a dance club. He enjoyed singing along to the songs he did know whilst Roxas skated a little further to give him space.

"Aww, you showoff. You're going to make me feel bad that I can't spin around like you can." yelled the Leonhart teen above the music. Roxas shrugged and slid towards him with that complicated swerve break.

"What if I said I was trying to impress you?" The other joked back. "Would you be mad?"

"...I don't know." The tempo of the music seemed to be changing to a slower ballad, and the disco lights were transitioning from a begladdening orange to the sweeter pink and red. What even was this atmosphere, pfft...

Offering him a gloved hand, Roxas beckoned him to move closer. "Come, skate with me." He was smiling at him for the umpteenth time and heck, there was just no way the brunette could refuse those pleading eyes. He took the hand and together, Sora and Roxas glided languidly around the arena, unhurried skidding just right for the sombre soundtrack. It was nice. And Roxas didn't let him fall. Whilst bokehs of light from above reflected on the smoothened surface and swivered from one skater to another, all that mattered was they were with one another, here, in this world of endless chills and melting cold hearts and facades.

It was probably their seventh lap when the blonde spotted an abandoned walrus sled beside one of the rink wall doors and, being the rebel he was, he managed to convince Sora to hoarde it into the ice with him. The ballad was long over and the current song playing was apparently a Traverse favourite as the people around them enthusiastically sang the chorus in unison. Aside from the beginner's rails, the arena also hired out animal-shaped "sleds", allowing inexperienced skaters to enjoy the ice by pushing one another on it.

"Don't we have to pay for these, Roxy?"

"We do. I'll do it later, the reception's too far." He commented, pointing at the back of the walrus for Sora to sit on. Belly first on the floor, the walrus head and tail served as the sled's handles for both passengers. The brown-haired teen encircled the sled's neck with his arms and ushered it forwards with his skates.

"It even has its front teeth, ha ha! Forward, forward, on to the way we go! Ready, set, charge! Hurrah!"

"Aye aye, Captain Sorbet." Roxas saluted to the air.

"Too fast! _Ahhh!_ We're going to bump into someone!" Skate, skate, skate.

"Oh right, sorry. How's this pace?"

"Yeaaaah! Woohoo! Take down all the enemy armadas! Pew pew pew!"

It was those two against the world as they dominated the rink with their flawless sled laps. Who cared about the experts' spectacular stunts when they were having so much fun cruising in their own way? They weren't saying it out loud, but subconsciously the two of them wished this moment, this wordlessly declared _first date_ would last forever. The feel of swerving every turn on metal blades, the gentle acoustic sound playing through the speakers, the scraped ice forming from under their skates; even their melodic laughs and shining smiles... everything... couldn't it last forever?

But there would be several other firsts, right? They could only hope so as they gradually slowed a stop. These raw unsaid feelings looming over the atmosphere — they were definitely _there, _along with two furtive wishes that their relationship wouldn't fall apart because of it. Maybe, just _maybe_... they could grow to be something _more_?

The duo had been skating for almost two hours when Sora admitted he wanted to eat. It was just on time too, because one of the staff members had announced through the speakers that the zamboni would be brought out for its once-every-three-hour rounds to fix the ice. They could use a quick break. Roxas made sure to be there for the brunette as they both stepped out and made their way towards the cafeteria.

It was only unfortunate that said cafeteria had a limited amount of meal choices. Sora opted for a hotdog and a cup of hot chocolate and Roxas went with the burger and some tea. Instead of sitting at the tables, they decided to watch the zamboni do its thing from the tiers. With little sips from his hot chocolate cup, the azure-eyed teen dared to rest his head on his favourite shoulder. The blonde busied himself by snacking on his packet of side fries.

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Roxas would never forget how beautiful Sora looked when he tried skating on his own. He was a fast learner, and it was necessary for the cerulean-eyed teen to stop every now and then to just _look_. They hadn't dropped their game of funny face pulling, so even though they were meters apart, they still found a way to interact with each other. If only the blonde had his phone on him. The thing was, some moments weren't enough to be captured in a single shot. Even when he really wanted to, Roxas simply couldn't explain how endearing his Sorbet was as he attempted to lift a foot up and clumsily tripped over. The boy was trying so hard.

Then there was Sora being his usual competitive self when he decided to compete against the experts in one of the arena's occasional ice skating activities. Luckily, they only had to dance to the song playing, and whoever busted the best moves would win a random prize. He looked so ridiculous, shaking his hips while pulling the most absurd expressions. Ever the class clown, that boy. Sora's eyes were on him and him alone, and even as Roxas hnn'ed at him from the sidelines, the brunette was still doing what he could to make him laugh.

Clichéd as it was, time flew too fast. Sooner or later, the two of them were returning their borrowed equipment to the rental room ("Don't forget to pay for the sled!" "Of course, Captain Sorbet.") in pursuit of their six pm circus show. Ugh, Sora's legs were so sore! Those skates were heavier than they looked, but he had so much fun so it didn't matter. The field isolating the ice skating arena and circus tent from the rest of the town wasn't big enough since they could still see Traverse's commendable illumination. With all those neon lights up, Traverse Town appealled a lot better during the night.

The Pan Circus tent wasn't anything extravagant. It was colourful, and judging from the size alone, it was only a small show. Sora squinted at the poster next to the door from their queue and nodded at the peculiar human-sized double hamster wheel and chair stacking photographs. Surprisingly enough, not every circus had clowns. It was a good thing too. Ensuring Sora would be entertained, Roxas told him he booked the tickets after much background research on the performers' impressive stunts and simple but hilarious acts.

"Where do you want to sit?" The Strife teen questioned while sidestepping the path along the limited rows of seats with Sora. Above the wide stage hung the currently suspended double hamster wheel, as well as several lights for the show. The long red curtain concealing the performers and whatever props they had in store for the evening also didn't escape the boys' notice. Sora gestured to the front.

"Maybe I'll get picked if they need a volunteer. Maybe. But man, this is so cool! It's sad how people look down on circuses. You've got to hand it to the performers — they've trained exceptionally to put smiles on people's faces. You know?"

Roxas nodded. "I knew you'd appreciate this kind of thing. Would you like a snack?" He handed the boy his favourite bar of chocolate from his satchel. A staff member had approached them a little later with a trolley of glowing items and the brunette pleaded to have a few glowsticks and this toy fan which blended into different colours as it oscillated to wave around.

In the middle of chewing his fifth bite, the stage lights switched on and, thanks to the amazing tech work behind it, began to bounce around the tent suspensefully. Yay! The show was about to start! "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the Pan Circus performance will begin in less than five minutes. We hope you enjoy our circus show in advance!" boomed the speakers. Looking to and fro, Sora saw several other people filling in the gaps between the back rows and hogging all the popcorn from their families.

After all that's happened today, he didn't cower when he hooked an arm around Roxas' just to have him close. Of course, Naminé and Kairi were right when they mentioned that all the azure-eyed teen had to be was himself. Roxy didn't think he was _lame weird_ for today, did he? He looked up at the latter briefly and they met each other's gazes — the blonde scrunched his nose and grinned at him before pulling him tightly to his body. Ahaha... ha ha... nice to know that... he wasn't the only one who wanted to be near the other...

The cerulean-eyed teen was too kind to him for today, and Sora was ever so grateful for his hardwork in putting this together. Giving the other boy a gentle nuzzle back, the brunette beamed to himself and sat as still as he could while they waited for the opening act.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, get ready for the night of your life!" Drumrolls on and loud dancy music were the center of this circus' introductory performance. "Pan Circus presents to you our very own: "Light the World!" acrobatic show!"

Dimming the stage lights allowed the first performers to transition onstage from behind the curtains. Most of them were in fancy leotards, and in perfect synchronicity, they dominated the first few minutes with impressive splits, human pyramids and the juggling of fragile glass bottles whilst standing on someone else's shoulders. The firebreathing individual made Sora jump out of his seat. He and the rest of the audience did not expect the man to trace intricate patterns on the air with his gas-doused baton of sorts, only to blow fire onto them with the other baton end until they materialized into fiery animal shapes.

"Hiyaa!" The next act was dedicated to a special martial arts performance from varying props of different heights. Try sparring someone on a seesaw or a narrow balance pole several meters from the ground. It wasn't easy. Such stunts were famous for their cringe-worthy moments, Sora realized while gasping in fear for the performers' safety. Don't you dare fall, random guy in the blue belt! You too, afro dude! Hah, even Roxas was agitated, judging from the tight squeezes on his hand and that one worried wail Sora happened to hear. Aww. The brunette gave the blonde a hug to comfort him.

**~o~**

Halfway through the show, Roxas offered to get them both dinner at some fast food place nearby. They'd passed by a Chinese food restaurant this afternoon, the blonde remembered, so he took off for two bowls of chao fan while the performers took a fifteen minute break. On the other hand, Sora used this time to contemplate on how the performers changed their clothes so fast. So far they'd sat through four individual acts, including the chair stacking acrobat who was unbeliavably flexible and had super arm strength that could carry her whole weight during her stunts.

Running all the way before collapsing onto his seat to avoid missing the show, Roxas panted exhaustedly next to Sora. He. Got. Their. Dinner. The pork cutlets and steamy seasoned rice smelled pleasantly aromatic, prompting the brunette to dig in in the middle of the next performance.

"Having fun, Sorbet?" Once again, the blonde took the initiative to rearrange his friend's bonnet and keep him comfortable.

"De-vinite-ry!" whispered Sora with a mouthful of rice. "Man, those umbrella props are crazy." Referring to the current act's stunning cultural dance, the performers in question were dancing in kimonos with illusionary-patterned parasols.

Following that became one of the azure-eyed teen's favourites for the night as it involved a mimed comedy skit between Dumb and Dumber. It couldn't have been that difficult for Dumber to lift an empty briefcase from the ground... right? Alas, it wasn't empty, as within it was a joyous glowing teddy bear! But then the clumsy Dumber just had to throw it to the audience, and when one of the girls at the middle row returned it to the front, Mr Teddy Bear... was no more. The staged funeral made Sora pout until Dumb found that Mr Teddy Bear was still breathing! Hurray! The brunette was too occupied to even notice Roxas planting a kiss on his temple.

All good things come to an end, but not all of them included a spinning double hamster wheel of death! More juggling, more dancing, more acrobatic flips and flexible balancing concluded the final circus act whilst the performers were suspended on an evenly-paced rotating wheeled contraption above the stage. Applauses filled the room after the crescendoing music piece ended and the stars of the show posed for their excited audience. Pictures were taken and grateful announcements were made until the satisfied circus goers filtered out of the tents with something to talk about on their way home.

They were just walking out of the field when Roxas told the Leonhart teen to stay put. "Wait here, okay? I'm just going to get you a souvenir."

"Huh? Oh, uhh, alright!" He was playing with his toy fan and kicking the ground when Roxas disappeared into the tent for who-knows-what. Sweet, sweet, sweet Roxy. The blonde proved himself to be even sweeter because moments later, in Roxas' hands was the circus' beloved glowing Mr Teddy Bear, a one-of-a-kind present for his endearing brown-haired friend. No way!

"Admit it, you were eyeing Mr Teddy Bear forever. Bet you didn't know this was allowed huh?" He shook the rainbow-coloured bear for effect.

"H-Hoow— you know what, forget it. I'd rather know why you've been uncharacteristically daring today, from the sled snitching and chao fan cross country stunt and now this."

The blonde rose an eyebrow at Sora. "It's because I want to make you happy, silly. Even you'd know I can't do that if I stay my grouchy and pathetic self. Now then, rate my awesomeness from one to five. One being super awful and five being super super."

"Super _super_?" Sora gladly hugged the now-green bear in his arms.

"Super _super_. So, am I super super?"

Hah, as if the brunette had to think about it. "You are super _super_."

"Well that makes you super super _super_, Super Sorbet."

Sora laughed and held Roxas' hand on the way to the bus terminal. "Too many supers. I'm not worth such praise."

"Lies. But err, I'm just curious, don't take this the wrong way. Your plush toy collection — you've had it since you were a child?" inquired the Strife teen.

"Yeah. Even when I was bedridden. They kept me company when no one else did, so..."

The blonde already understood. No one so bright and wonderful should ever have to be isolated from the world. Especially not his Sorbet. "You're not alone anymore, Sora. I promise."

**o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o**

Much to Sora's comfort, the bus drove off at around eight pm, taking the shortest route possible to Destiny Village. There were only five other passengers on the ride, allowing the bus driver to take a few detours. Of course, Roxas' shoulder was always available. This warmth in the boy's heart couldn't compare to anything else he's felt before, Sora noted in his gradual descent to slumber. Squeezing his arm before planting another butterfly kiss on Sora's forehead, the Strife teen watched the neon city fade into the midnight from behind them. The star-like streetlights shining on the road and highlighted posts marking every ten meters were all the blonde could focus on, on their silent way back home.

Haha. Sora was right to say he'd been a thousand times more audacious today than all the other days. Liking someone did that to you, right? Suddenly you don't know yourself very well as you spiral into doing stupid, weird things for that one special person. Roxas was just thankful he wasn't too out of it. Along with the forehead pecks and tiny gifts for his beloved friend, he'd really emerged out of his shell for this day, huh. Making Sora smile was a lot more exhilarating than he gave it credit for.

Roxas had to be careful though.

If ever he got carried away with these rapidly deepening feelings, he would never be able to let go. He didn't want to push Sora away should he ever lose control of himself, _him_, in his ever so volatile emotional state. What was it like to really like someone, he wondered? Ventus... he would have wanted him to be happy like this. It was all... so new. And it was good.

At the sight of the sea encompassing the motorway, Roxas knew they were nearing home. Sorbet was whispering funny phrases in his sleep, and much to his relief, the other seemed comfortable beside him. The brunette also smelled like fresh ice and cocoa. He'd fallen quite a bit on the ice skating rink, but even so he still got up, carried on and smiled at the world. Roxas woke him up once he saw the library and terminal and patted his clothes free of non-existing dust.

"I can't believe today is over." The blonde sighed, his cheeks reddening at the thought of their wondrous sweet first date. Skipping along town and on the path to Sora's neighbourhood, the Leonhart teen agreed solemnly.

"We still have a few more days before school, haha. Semester Three is going to be stressful."

"That's true. But we'll manage. You know for sure I'll help you with schoolwork."

"Y-Y-Yeah..."

What could you say to someone you wanted to keep by your side to ensure they would stay? _I like you _was too simple. _I love you_ was out of their grasps. _Stay with me, I'll miss you, don't go. _They would see each other again, but being together like this made them want to skip through several more roads if it would mean prolonging their time with one another.

Should Sora ask... if they could do this again another time? He could easily do so, but...

But...

...Sigh. It didn't matter. Every second of his time with Roxas was inexplicably priceless, no matter how short they stayed together.

.

.

.

Greeting them at the door was Sora's mom and their two playful kittens, Whiskers stowing away in Blue's kitty basket. The mischievous little kitty didn't want to say goodbye to her sister so she thought she could hide from the humans and get Roxas to take her home. Too bad.

Leon was on night shift so only Tifa was at home, endlessly waiting for her baby to get home from what probably was his best day ever in the entire year. She didn't hesitate to give the two hugs for their safe journey back.

"I hope Sora behaved well. How was Traverse Town?" She asked with a grin on her face.

"Traverse was so retro yet futuristic, Mom! Roxas and I went ice skating as well as a circus."

"I see. Kairi and Naminé told me they had a chat to Roxas about it. By the way, thank you for looking after Sora, Roxas." She turned to the blonde afterwards. "Between you and me, Sora's had a hectic weekend preparing. He really likes you, I'm sure you're aware."

"Mom, **no**! I'm right _here_! It's not fair talking about me when I'm right here!"

"Meow."

"We had an excellent day out, Mrs Leonhart. Thank you for letting me take him out of town."

"Aww, shucks!" She chuckled. "Just Tifa is fine. Anything to make Sora happy, because that's all that matters, am I right? Now, I've already said byebye to baby Blue here. These kittens are lucky they're sisters! I couldn't believe Whiskers would eat half of Blue's share! Hah!" Picking up said pet from the kitty basket, the woman nuzzled her face on the ginger's nose. "I'll leave you two to say your farewells. Let me take your bag dear, oh, woah, you must have bought some souvenirs. I can't wait to see them, haha. And Roxas, if ever you want to stay over, go ahead! Sora's bound to have some clothes for you. You might have to share the duvet though since Sor is obsessed with that orange blanket."

"**Nooo!** No! No, Mom no! Did you _really_ have to say that?" GAAAAAAH! Why was his mother embarrassing him? That was private! Aww man, what would Rox think of him now? He shrieked out too late because she'd already disappeared within the house with a laugh on her lips. So meaaan!

Of course, excluding curious Blue, they were alone once more on Sora's front porch, minds stringing together sentences to say to each other before the night ended. Roxas happened to beat the brunette to it while the younger boy suffered another mind blank.

"Sora. Do you want to go on another day out next week? I'll keep my weekend free if you do." Blue was alright in her basket. She didn't seem bored glancing up at her owner and his friend warm each other's hands and stand close enough to have their foreheads touching. She tilted her head at the sight of the chocolate-haired boy shaking and her human using a free hand to lift the other's chin.

"Y-Y-Yeah, s-sure. Anything t-to hang out w-with y-you." Did Sora's feelings really have to weigh him down _now_ of all times? The night sky was breathtakingly clear, but they weren't as admirable as Roxas' blue eyes. God, they had so much emotion in them; more than they ever had in the past few months. And of all things, those eyes were on Sora. Ugh, his _heart... DAMN IT._

Nails digging into his gloved palms, deep breaths and lip-biting. It was a lot more difficult to will these feelings away than it was to keep himself from nauseating. Hnng...

Roxas was being exceptionally bold beyond Sora's expectations as he moved to fix his hair and bonnet yet again. There was something about Sora's hair that the other boy couldn't help but obsess with. The Strife teen tucked the free strands behind his right ear.

"Your hair's getting longer, Sorbet. I can't see your eyes properly."

"I-It is?" He instinctively licked his lips and fixed the rest of his fringe. "Well, uhh, my eyes aren't... aren't t-that much of a wonder, ha ha. I can still see."

"Hn." Front porch, night sky, the evening of a first date. It was a perfect recipe for, at least, according to television, the long awaited first kiss between couples. Although, hoping for such... it was... well... Sora hadn't prepared himself yet. But Roxy was edging so _close_ to him, or maybe that was only in his imagination because... _as if_...

"Hey, a free-spirited blue-eyed brunette once told me there would always be someone who cares. If I could talk to him right now, I would thank him for saving me and let him know how dazzling he is everyday of his life. Do you think he'd like that, Sora?"

Heartbeats pounding in synchronicity as they lost each other in different shades of blue. "I... I think... h-he'd tell you... t-the... the s-same."

Whatever comes, comes as Sora wet his lips again and waited for the inevitable. Roxas proceeded to hold him, arms steady as they touched and embraced one another under the gleam of the twinkling stars. If it was farfetched to channel one's feelings through these acute displays of affection, then they were probably witnesses of a miracle. They didn't need to say anything. There was an undeniable love budding between them, and it was good.

"Goodnight, my Sorbet. Have sweet dreams." Roxas quietly muttered to Sora's lips before leaning in and touching his forehead to his. Even with their noses rubbing and the blonde smiling brightly at him, Sora was gradually dying inside. His face... _Roxas' face_... unstoppable scarlet tints and the azure-eyed teen had to take a deep breath FAST.

"G-Goodnight... W-Will you be f-fine walking home w-with Blue? Y-You're always f-free to s-stay."

"We've had this conversation before. I'll be fine." Stepping down from the front stairs, Roxas saluted to his love and tucked his kitten under her blanky. "I'll see you when I see you. And I'll call! I'll even come over when I can, so wait for me, yes?"

"Of course I will. T-Take care."

.

.

.

Sora had only sunken to his knees when he was sure Roxas had truly left. Why did he feel like wanting to cry tears of joy? Why did his heart want to burst into smithereens? Roxas... he... he probably felt the same... because why would he do these things if he didn't...

Gaaaah! GAAAAAH! GAAAAAAAH!

Face in his hands, he only noticed the presence of his spy of a mother when she tapped him on his shoulder.

"He didn't kiss you yet?_ Good._ I was going to grab the Chapstick I bought you but whoops, too late. Or should I say, too _early_?"

"Not helping, Mother. Do you have to _rub_ it in?"

Tifa shook her head in amusement. "Hey, don't be so down. He was probably waiting for the right moment. After all, he hasn't confessed to you yet, right? Neither have you. Although I'm sure he already knows. You make it so obvious."

"Muuu." He pressed his lips together and sulked. But perhaps his mother knew best. It was _enough_ for Sora to know that the possibility of having his feelings returned, even though he wasn't supposed to have them in the first place, existed. Following his mother inside, the blue-eyed teen casted one last wishful glance at the brightest star and prayed.

"Sora, if anything, I should let you know this before you sleep." His mother told him later that night. "It's winter, is it not? From what I've seen outside, Roxas had already kissed you and you probably didn't know it. You know about Eskimo's kisses right? That certainly wasn't your first, I should know. I have video proof. Lucky you."

_Someday. _

This wish of his would come true. Maybe they could be together. After all, the wind's had it written in the sky from the very beginning.

_Watch over the one who means the most to me._

* * *

**HECK YEAH! In your face 2015! I promised not to leave this year without posting this, and I made it, after seven evil months! Woo! Wooo! WOOOOOO!**

**I personally don't understand how I've worded this giant chapter, but I pray it was worth it in the end. Muuu! **

**What awaits SALWY in the future? I've already foreseen the end, but it won't be for a while. Aiyaa! I am trash, phwee! Thanks so much for reading if you made it this far. I hope you have an amazing New Year!**


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